English paceman Ollie Robinson is eagerly anticipating the challenge of facing Virat Kohli in the upcoming five-match Test series on Indian soil.
Robinson, a right-arm fast bowler, previously faced off against the star batter during India’s 2021 tour of England. In that series, Robinson dismissed Kohli on three occasions.
Expressing his excitement ahead of the series, Robinson told ESPNCricinfo: “You always want to play against the best players, don’t you? And you always want to get the best players out. Kohli is one of those. He’s got a big ego, and I think playing on that, especially in India, where he is going to want to dominate and score runs, playing on the fact we’ve had battles in the past, is exciting.”
Robinson’s cricketing journey has seen some injury setbacks, notably a back spasm during the third Test of the Ashes last year, leading to his exclusion from the remainder of the series. Additionally, his exposure to subcontinent conditions remains limited, having participated in only three Tests in Pakistan in 2022.
Despite playing only three Tests in the subcontinent, the 30-year-old, who was a part of England’s Test squad as a reserve player during the 2021 tour of India, now steps into a more prominent role following Stuart Broad’s retirement.
Robinson is poised to contribute to the pace department and could potentially feature alongside James Anderson in the starting line-up for the first Test. The eagerly awaited five-match Test series is set to commence in Hyderabad on January 25.