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'If Virat Kohli Was Playing...' - Spin Legend Predicts 5-0 In England's Favour

image-ls037inoEngland embarrassed India in Hyderabad (AP)

Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley's tremendous second-innings fightback raised England's hopes and belief to such an extent that former left-arm spinner Monty Panesar predicted a 5-0 Test series win for the tourists over Team India after their Hyderabad heist. 

Panesar also upheld the mental side of the game and insisted India missed the aggressive streak and energy of Virat Kohli on the field after the visitors resurrected a deficit of 190 runs and won the Test match by 28 runs. 

The former tweaker questioned could skipper Rohit Sharma replicate Kohli's intensity after looking listless when Pope continued his marathon effort of 196 in the third innings and Hartley was allowed to break free from the pressure exerted on him in the first half to bag 7 for 62. 


Panesar Speaks After Hyderabad Turnaround 

"If Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley continue to play like this it will be a whitewash, it will be 5-0 for England. It can happen if Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley play like this," Panesar told ANI.

Panesar said Kohli's absence created a sedate energy about the Indian group and lifted off the pressure and the shackles England players had faced in the first half when they were dismissed for 246. 

"India need to stop giving the freedom that the England players are getting. If Virat Kohli was playing he would have been in the faces of these England players and told them 'Hey, do it again let's see how good you are'. This is an England team who are not scared of losing, they don't scare if they lose. In the next four games, they (England) would still play with the fear of failure."


"Virat Kohli has that presence and intensity, which is missing currently in the India team. Virat Kohli has that aura and presence. If England win the next Test match then India will be in big trouble. This is a big moment for Rohit Sharma, he needs to show that he can turn around the match without Virat Kohli," he added. 

Kohli was a big miss with the bat in hand, too, after India failed to seal the contest and ended up keeping the door ajar for England in the first-innings. The great batter had withdrawn from the first two Tests of the series for personal reasons and will not be available for the second Test in Visakhapatnam, starting February 2.