Virat Kohli's much-hyped maiden county stint for Surrey had to be called off due to a neck injury post IPl but how much has the rest helped the Indian captain will only be discovered after the end of the Test series, said former England captain and county's Director of Cricket Alec Stewart.
Interestingly, Stewart, who is the Director of Cricket for Surrey County had played a pivotal role in getting Kohli to sign his maiden county contract, where he was supposed to play three four day games during the months of May and June.
However a neck injury in IPl and prescribed rest meant that Kohli didn't play for Surrey as he wanted to remain fresh for the gruelling two and half month UK tour that had five Test matches.
"Virat has played only a limited number of (Test) matches in England and his record is nowhere near the high quality he has achieved everywhere else around the world. So only he can answer (if rest helped him more) and we will know at the end of this series," Stewart said when asked if skipping county stint would help him during Tests or not.
Stewart believes that had Kohli been fit, his stint would have proved to be mutually beneficial for both parties.
"In my conversation with him (Kohli), we told him that we very much wanted him at Surrey for that month (May), and he told us he wanted to be here. It would have helped Surrey and it would have definitely helped Virat as well. But circumstances around that neck injury meant that he had pull out at the last moment," said Stewart.
While Kohli will only get one four day game as a warm-up before the Test match, Stewart feels that playing limited overs matches will be of some help though.
"(But) He has had the white-ball internationals to get ready for the Test series. When you have the quality of Virat, you adjust accordingly and I expect him to have a big impact on the Test series."
Also, Alec Stewart believes that though left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has generated a lot of interest in the England ranks but former Test matches will be a completely different ball game for the youngster if he pips the seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI for the first Test.
"I am a massive fan of Ashwin and he is an impressive performer. Jadeja has had some good success against England as well. But if someone has got mystery, you might want to play him," Stewart said.
"Virat, as a captain, is very positive and will back an attacking bowler. He will possibly believe that Kuldeep has more to offer than Ashwin or Jadeja, and then that's the route Virat will take. And then he has to perform, and replicate with the red ball what he has done with the white ball. We won't know until he is given a go," said Stewart.
Virat Kohli's much-hyped maiden county stint for Surrey had to be called off due to a neck injury post IPl but how much has the rest helped the Indian captain will only be discovered after the end of the Test series, said former England captain and county's Director of Cricket Alec Stewart.
Interestingly, Stewart, who is the Director of Cricket for Surrey County had played a pivotal role in getting Kohli to sign his maiden county contract, where he was supposed to play three four day games during the months of May and June.
However a neck injury in IPl and prescribed rest meant that Kohli didn't play for Surrey as he wanted to remain fresh for the gruelling two and half month UK tour that had five Test matches.
"Virat has played only a limited number of (Test) matches in England and his record is nowhere near the high quality he has achieved everywhere else around the world. So only he can answer (if rest helped him more) and we will know at the end of this series," Stewart said when asked if skipping county stint would help him during Tests or not.
Stewart believes that had Kohli been fit, his stint would have proved to be mutually beneficial for both parties.
"In my conversation with him (Kohli), we told him that we very much wanted him at Surrey for that month (May), and he told us he wanted to be here. It would have helped Surrey and it would have definitely helped Virat as well. But circumstances around that neck injury meant that he had pull out at the last moment," said Stewart.
While Kohli will only get one four day game as a warm-up before the Test match, Stewart feels that playing limited overs matches will be of some help though.
"(But) He has had the white-ball internationals to get ready for the Test series. When you have the quality of Virat, you adjust accordingly and I expect him to have a big impact on the Test series."
Also, Alec Stewart believes that though left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has generated a lot of interest in the England ranks but former Test matches will be a completely different ball game for the youngster if he pips the seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI for the first Test.
"I am a massive fan of Ashwin and he is an impressive performer. Jadeja has had some good success against England as well. But if someone has got mystery, you might want to play him," Stewart said.
"Virat, as a captain, is very positive and will back an attacking bowler. He will possibly believe that Kuldeep has more to offer than Ashwin or Jadeja, and then that's the route Virat will take. And then he has to perform, and replicate with the red ball what he has done with the white ball. We won't know until he is given a go," said Stewart.