'They Should Sledge Him'- Monty Panesar Advices ENG To Remind Virat Kohli Of Chokers Tag
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Virat Kohli vs ENG (X.com)
Ahead of the highly anticipated five-game Test series between India and England, former England spinner Monty Panesar has urged the English side to poke Virat Kohli with verbal blows and put him on the back foot early into the series.
India is scheduled to host England in a five-game extensive Test series starting from 25th January. For the series opener, both sides are expected to reach Hyderabad by the weekend.
Having said that, a verbal war has already begun before the high-stakes game reaches its peak. Former English spinner Monty Panesar shared a piece of advice with England on how to get the better of the big threat Virat Kohli.
He urged the visitors to play mind games with Kohli. Panesar added that Ben Stokes must play with Kohli's ego and remind him of the choker tag. The former spinner believes that Stokes should remind Kohli of the fact that he has an ODI and T20 World Cup to his name while he has none. That will sting Kohli the hardest.
Basically, Monty Panesar feels throwing off Virat Kohli mentally is the only way to avert the threat. Once he is in his zone, it's almost close to impossible to shatter his focus. Moreover, since Kohli likes to talk, he would surely respond to the sledging.
While Monty Panesar's idea of playing mind games with the opposition is probably smart, it won't work in the case of cricketing icon Virat Kohli. Historically, sledging has only added to Kohli's motivation.
In an infamous incident against Australia, a young Kohli trashed Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner after the duo tried to get under the batter's skin. Not only did he reply to the verbal blow with utmost confidence, but he also showcased his ability to absorb pressure by scoring a scintillating century.
Thus, the English side needs to do some deep thinking before poking Virat Kohli in the upcoming Test series.
 "Akshita Patel")
