Kohli will score a big knock soon: Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif. Pic/AFP

Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif is confident India captain Virat Kohli will play a big knock soon. After a drawn Nottingham Test last week, India will lock horns with England in the second Test of the five-match series starting today at Lord's.

Kohli, who has 70 international hundreds under his belt, scored his last century (136) during the day-night Test at Kolkata against Bangladesh in 2019. However, Kaif feels form is not an issue for the Indian skipper.

‘Not out of form'

"I have no doubts, Kohli will come back strongly. It's not that he is getting out early or is out of form. He is getting set and it's just a matter of time that he will get a big one [century]," Kaif said during a virtual media interaction on Wednesday when asked about Kohli failing to score a century for a long time.

Kohli, who has amassed 7,547 runs in 93 Tests, was dismissed for a golden duck off pacer James Anderson in the first Test. "Expectations from Kohli are so high that we want to see him score a hundred every time. Getting hundred in a Test, especially overseas or in any conditions is a tough task. But people are doing so
easily and Kohli is one of them. He has set the benchmark which is very high," added Kaif.

Shardul will be missed

India will miss pacer Shardul Thakur, who was ruled out of the second Test with a hamstring strain. Thakur claimed four wickets in the opening Test. "Kohli will be in trouble because he wants to have fast bowling all-rounders and he doesn't have many. There is no Hardik Pandya, there is no other who can bowl fast and bat. So then, eventually you might see R Ashwin coming in or an extra fast bowler. If Ishant Sharma is fit, he comes in automatically, otherwise Umesh Yadav can play. But it will be tough for Kohli to have the same balance as what he had in that last game," remarked Kaif.

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