Brendon McCullum shows readiness of England team to face Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli. Pic/PTI

Virat Kohli opted out of the first two test matches against England for personal reasons. According to reports the return of Kohli for the next clashes is doubtful. Amid the news of Kohli, England's head coach Brendon McCullum mentioned that his team is ready to face the potential return of India's star Virat Kohli.

The five-match Test series between India and England is now levelled with 1-1 after, the hosts' 106-run win in Visakhapatnam.

The absence of Kohli from the first two test matches was visible in the Indian batting lineup. Rajat Patidar who was named as his replacement did not make the most of the opportunity. England's resilience shone through as they capitalised on the opportunities presented, with Ben Stokes leading the charge in the series opener in Hyderabad.

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"Virat's one of the greatest players of the game has seen. No doubt it improves this squad. As we have said throughout, the depth of Indian cricket, and the talent in India is immense. So, we respect every opposition player that we come up against," Brendon McCullum told TalkSport.

McCullum expressed respect for Kohli's prowess and competitiveness, underscoring the challenge his presence poses to the English side. "If Virat is coming back...we hope everything is well with his family. We look forward to that challenge too. He is a great competitor. I know him very well and I enjoyed playing against him, I enjoyed our team playing against him. And if you have success against the best, I am sure you have earned it," he added.

On Monday, hosts' head coach Rahul Dravid provided an update on Kohli's return for the remaining matches against England. He stated, "best to ask the selectors."

"I think it's best to ask the selectors. I am sure they are the best people to answer ahead of the team selection for the next three Tests. We will get to that. I am sure there will be a selection over the next few days. We will connect with him and find out," Rahul Dravid said at the post-match press conference.

The visitors travelled to Abu Dhabi for the preparations for the next test match. India will lock horns with England for the third test starting from February 15.

(With IANS Inputs)