The game needs to look after Virat Kohli as well: Nasser Hussain

The entire nation is eagerly waiting for the return of Virat Kohli in the Indian Test team after the star batter made himself unavailable for the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons. However, several reports claim that the former India skipper is unlikely to return in the remainder of the series which could well turn out to be a major blow for India.

Commenting on the development, former England captain Nasser Hussain said that the game needs to look after Virat Kohli as he’s played over 15 years of international cricket. The former cricketer-turned-commentator further rued the fact that fans won’t be able to witness the classic battle between Kohli and James Anderson probably for one last time.

Also Read: The only thing this series has been missing is the battle between Kohli and Jimmy Anderson: Nasser Hussain

"First thing's first. The game needs to look after Virat Kohli as well. He's been playing international cricket for more than 15 years now and if he needs a break to be away with family… get some time away from the game, we absolutely wish Virat Kohli all the best. It means we don't get the mouth-watering possibility of an Anderson vs Kohli contest that we've seen over the years, then be it. But Kohli, and his family and his private life has to come first," Hussain was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Further speaking ahead, Hussain commented on India’s batting performance without Kohli and highlighted their soft dismissals in the first two games.

"There have been some soft dismissals in that Indian batting lineup, and it has left him vulnerable at times. One thing Kohli is with batting is ruthless. He does not do soft dismissals. He is driven by getting runs and winning games. So, they will miss that. Any side would miss the class of Virat Kohli," he added.

Notably, India’s batting has been a bit under pas as they haven’t been able to bat England out of the match in any of the four occasions. In the first innings in Hyderabad, they failed to capitalize on the massive advantage as batters threw their wickets away getting caught in the deep.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: BCCI Official gives major update on Virat Kohli's availability for remaining Tests

India's batting struggled in the first two Tests

Further in the second Test, no other batter apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal (209) crossed the 34-run mark in the first innings. Later in the second innings, India set a target of 399 for England with Shubman Gill (104) being the only 50-plus scorer.

Meanwhile, with the series levelled 1-1, both teams will be eager to take a lead in the upcoming third Test beginning from Thursday, February 15 at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot.