Want Virat Kohli to play the one-off Test against Bangladesh: Sunil Gavaskar

Virat Kohli reportedly wants to skip the Bangladesh tour

Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar has said that Indian Test captain Virat Kohli should not skip the one-off Test match against Bangladesh after reports emerged that the 26-year-old has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for rest for the Bangladesh tour in order to recharge his batteries after a gruelling few months of cricket. Gavaskar added that Kohli could be rested for the subsequent 3-match ODI series.

"I would want him to play in the Test match and then be rested for the three-match one-day series. Actually, the likes of Virat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, who has bowled a lot can be rested. Ideally as a player, I would want some rest as the kind of workload they have had playing for last four and half months," Gavaskar said.

Kohli took over as Test captain on a full-time basis after MS Dhoni’s sudden decision to retire from Test cricket following the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne. If the star batsman’s wish to be rested is indeed granted, India would need a new captain for their solitary Test of the tour at Fatullah.

Gavaskar added that he would like a strong Indian team to be sent to Bangladesh, considering the fact that they comprehensively beat Pakistan recently and are looking like a team constantly on the rise. He would have no problem with Kohli being rested for the ODIs, however, with Dhoni undoubtedly being available as a consequence of his decision to only play limited-overs cricket for India from now onwards.

"Dhoni obviously will get a little bit of break. Last year during this time, India sent a an 'A' team virtually and yet won the series. But that was one year back and Bangladesh have done well in recent times. They have beaten Pakistan 3-0 in the ODI series and we need to send a strong team. I believe we will see a strong ODI team being sent," he concluded.

India’s tour of Bangladesh commences on June 10 with a one-off Test at Fatullah, following which there are three ODIs that will be played on June 18, June 21 and June 24.