Virat Kohli, the batting mainstay of Indian cricket team, will be itching to be number the one batsman in Test cricket during the upcoming five-match series in England by overcoming his arch-rival, Steve Smith. Kohli currently trails Smith by 26 points in the latest ICC Test ranking and he will have to be at the peak of his game in England to leapfrog the former Australian skipper. England has not been Kohli’s favorite hunting ground and his struggles in the 2014 series were for all to see. Hence, the challenge thrown at the Indian captain is huge but he is known for delivering under pressure hence all eyes would be on him.

One of the main factors that have led to Kohli being on the cusp of being the best in the Tests is the one year ban Smith is currently serving for his role in the infamous ball tampering incident in South Africa. His prolonged absence from the game open up the doors for the three modern-day greats in Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Virat Kohli. Of the trio, Kohli through a series of top-notch performances climbed up the ladder and opened up a 48 point lead over Root. The English captain himself has a good opportunity to bridge this gap during the series. IND vs ENG 1st Test 2018 Match Preview: Virat Kohli and Co Look to Spoil Home Team’s Historic 1000th Test.

Though Virat has amassed loads of runs in all the Test playing countries, the English condition continues to be the turf that is yet to be conquered by him. One of the main reasons for his debacle in English condition is swing bowling, particularly that of James Anderson.

England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests has often picked up Kohli early in his innings and the area around his off-stump is exploited by the 'Sultan of swing' to deadly effect. Kohli will have to counter the pace and swing of English bowlers if he is to succeed and lead his team to glory. Five Facts You Need to Know Ahead of the IND vs ENG Test Series.

Virat’s poor run in England is made even more evident by the fact that Bhuvneshwar Kumar has more runs to his credit in the country than him. Back in 2014, Bhuvi scored 247 runs at an average of 27.44 which included 3 half centuries. On the other hand, Kohli could only manage 134 runs in the five-match Test series at a paltry average of 13.40. He was so out of sorts in the series that on two occasions he even failed to trouble the scorers. These numbers will need a massive overhaul if Virat has to go near or possibly even past Smith to be called the best Test batsman.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2018 08:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).