Matches Virat Kohli Should Play (and Leave) Before World Cup 2019 - By Tournament

Indian Domestic Season 2018-19

Investing eight to nine days at the domestic circuit won't be a bad gamble for Virat.

The Indian Domestic Season this season includes the Vijay Hazare Trophy (50-over tournament), the Ranji Trophy (4-day tournament) and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy (20-over tournament) in the same order.

Since all of Delhi's eight group matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy would be played between 20 September and 8 October in Delhi, Virat can use one or two of these one-day matches to keep his 50-over momentum going. This tournament also comes at a time when India would be playing the Asia Cup, and he can get good match practice out of this tournament.

Delhi's opening Ranji game is against Himachal on 12th November. Though the venue is yet to be decided, it is most probably going to be played up North, and winters would have set in by then. Unless Virat is playing in the last T20I against West Indies on 11 November, he can use this match to find some form for the Australia Test series, as the conditions would be pitches would be hard as well as fast.

If he is not participating in the T20I series in Australia, he can alternatively participate in the Ranji Trophy game against Punjab on 28 November.

Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which begins in February, he should try to play a couple of games for Delhi that would be held in cold and swinging conditions like Delhi, Dharamsala, Mohali and the like. This would give him a feel of the conditions he and his team would be likely to face in the World Cup in England, that begins from May 30.

Other Indian cricketers should also be selective about the cricket they play during this phase. As for the junior team members, the management can apply a rotational policy to provide them with adequate rest and preparation time.