England Test captain Ben Stokes has showered praise on Virat Kohli and said it’s going to be a shame that he won’t be playing in the upcoming five-match Test series between India and England, starting from June 20.Earlier this month, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket.“I texted him saying it’s going to be a shame not playing against him this time. I love playing against Virat,” Stokes said in a video released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.“We’ve always relished the contest because we share the same mindset on the field; it’s a battle.”
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Stokes said India is going to miss Kohli’s passion and spirit on the field.“What India will miss is his fighting spirit on the field, his competitiveness, his desire to win. He’s made No. 18 his own; we might never see it on the back of another Indian shirt. He’s been pure class for such a long time,” said Stokes.“He’s been incredible. He deserves all the accolades. No doubt, there’s been plenty of praise for him in India and here as well. He’s done well in England too,” he added.Stokes called Kohli one of the greatest of the white-ball format.“In white-ball formats, he’s been outstanding. One thing I’ll always remember about Virat is how hard he hits the ball through the covers; that cover drive will live long in the memory,” said Stokes.Who’s that IPL player?Despite not having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Stokes feels that India has incredible depth when it comes to batters.“We always look to get at the opposition during a Test, and we look and see how we can adapt. They have had two big retirements in Rohit and Kohli, who have been such an important part of the Indian team and all the success that they have had. But India’s battery of batters is just incredible.“When I have spent time in the IPL, they have batters coming out of their—can’t say that word on the interview—but you know what I mean. You can never take any Indian team lightly, despite the fact that they’re without two of their greatest batters,” said Stokes.
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