‘Play with his ego and…’ – Monty Panesar’s advice to England team ahead of Test series against India

With just a few days remaining Team India is ready to take on England in a 5-Test match series. England have not won a Test series on Indian soil since 2012. The last victory came under Former captain Alastair Cook.

The current captain Ben Stokes will look to change England’s fortune for the test series. Spin-friendly wickets may trouble the England team, and they look to tackle Virat Kohli. Be it Indian condition or outside condition Indian batter has been scoring runs against the opposite teams.

Former cricketers and pundits of the cricketing world have started giving their advice to the England team. Ex- England spinner Monty Panesar has suggested England team do sledging to get the upper hand over Virat Kohli in the forthcoming 5-Test match series. On the other hand, many former cricketers have advised to sledge Virat while Panesar wants England to play mind games with Virat.

“Play with his ego and get psychologically stuck into him. They should also say things to him like, you guys are chokers when it comes to the final. They should sledge him on those lines because Stokes has won the ODI and T20 WC and Kohli has not and that is going to mentally pinch him,” Panesar told media.

Virat Kohli’s form against England

Virat Kohli has a good record against the England team. Till now he has scored 1991 runs in 28 matches and he is on the verge of completing 2000 runs in Tests. Virat has 5 centuries and one double century with an average of 42.36 under his name.

In-home condition against England, he has smashed 1015 runs in 13 test matches with an average of 56.38. Panesar believes that England veteran fast bowler James Anderson would get the upper hand on Virat in the series.

“I think it will be James Anderson and I think it will be the reverse swing that would get Kohli,” Panesar added.

In Indian condition, James Anderson has dismissed Virat only once time in 10 test games. Whereas Virat has scored 305 runs against him. Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad will host the 1st test match between India and England.