Is Virat Kohli joining Middlesex County Cricket Club?

India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli is in discussions with Middlesex for a potential County Championship stint, British media reported on Sunday.

According to a report, the club has already approached Kohli, and negotiations are currently underway as both parties explore the possibility of a deal.

The potential move would mark Kohli’s first-ever appearance in the County Championship, offering the 36-year-old a new competitive platform following the end of his illustrious red-ball international career.

Middlesex, based at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, is actively pursuing Kohli’s signature in a bid to add firepower to their middle order and elevate the club's profile globally.

Alan Coleman, the club’s Director of Cricket, confirmed that discussions are around the corner.

"Virat Kohli is the most iconic player of his generation, so of course, we are interested in having that conversation," he confirmed to British media.

The club has a track record of attracting international stars, including Kohli’s former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers, who featured in the 2019 T20 Blast, and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, who recently joined the squad for the latter half of the current season.

Although, Virat Kohli is bound with his central contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which rules out participation in tournaments like the T20 Blast or The Hundred, he remains eligible for red-ball domestic competitions such as the County Championship and the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

It is pertinent to mention that the former India captain announced his retirement from Test cricket last week, concluding his Test career with 9,230 runs, 30 centuries and a legacy as India's most successful red-ball captain with 40 wins in 68 matches.ccr