Hodge suggests Kohli may be saving for IPL by skipping Test

TIL Desk Sports/ Making a bizarre insinuation, former Australia batsman Brad Hodge has suggested that Indian captain Virat Kohli, who missed the fourth Test in Dharamsala due to an injury, could be saving himself for the IPL starting next month.  Hodge, the coach of IPL side Gujarat Lions, said it would be “pretty dirty” of Kohli if he turns out for the IPL opening match as Royal Challengers Bangalore captain against David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5.

“You’d hope as a sportsman that he’s seriously injured. I’m hopeful, as a Gujarat Lions coach, that when we play RCB in a couple of weeks, that he’s not playing,” Hodge was quoted by ‘Daily Telegraph’ as having told Fox Sports News’ Gameday Live.

“Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you’re fronting up the next week for RCB versus whoever, Bangalore, at Chinnaswamy Stadium — you’d be pretty dirty if he did not front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia – which has been pretty spiteful as well,” said Hodge who played five Tests and 25 ODIs between 2005 and 2008.  “You would think that your captain would get out there and get among the fight and get in there.”  Kohli pulled out of the series-deciding fourth Test against Australia as he was not 100 per cent fit after injuring his shoulder during the third match in Ranchi.