"This could be Virat’s last tour of England" - Stuart Broad on India's 2025 England tour
Former England pacer Stuart Broad believes India's 2025 tour of England could be ace batter Virat Kohli's final English tour in his illustrious career. Kohli will be 36 when India take on England in five Tests between June 20 and July 31 next year.
The champion batter has toured England for a Test series thrice in his career in 2014, 2018, and 2021-22. While his overall Test numbers are impressive, Kohli has found red-ball cricket in England his most challenging with an average of only 33.21 in 17 outings.
Talking about the blockbuster series in 2025 at an event to support the launch of Inside Lord's, Broad was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times:
"This could be Virat’s last tour of England. They’ve got so much talent and so much depth and England are slightly more youthful and less experienced but have a huge amount of talent and play this front-foot style of cricket."
Kohli has already retired from T20Is after helping India win the 2024 T20World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
The 35-year-old played in India's just-concluded 2-0 home Test series whitewash against Bangladesh.
"Don’t underestimate how much it hurt England when India won at Lord’s" - Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad recalled the hurt in the England dressing room when India pulled off a spectacular win in the second Test of their 2021 tour at Lord's.
While Broad did not play in that game, he was part of the English squad for the series and played in two of the five Tests. After a drawn first Test, Virat Kohli's Men produced a stunning rearguard action with the bat on Day 5 of the second Test at Lord's to set England a target of 272.
The Indian bowlers then took over, dismantling England for a paltry 120 to help pull off a 151-run win.
"Don’t underestimate how much it hurt England when India won at Lord’s (in 2021) and drew the series. It was an aggressive test match, Mohammed Siraj bowled fantastically well on the final day, a drier pitch and just getting that bit of movement. It was an amazing, emotional Test match to watch, and I know how much that hurt the England dressing room," said Broad.
"Equally, it was very joyous for India to come here - we saw the joy on Kohli’s face and how much that meant to him. I think it’s going to be an absolute crackerjack of a series," he added.
The series eventually ended in a 2-2 draw with the final Test extending to the following year (2022) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.