Surrey 'inquire' in to signing Virat Kohli for county cricket stint ahead of England vs India Test series

India's master batsman Virat Kohli may be on course to warm up for this summer's Test series against England by signing a county contract.

Reports in India have suggested Surrey are keen to sign the India captain for a mid-summer Specsavers County Championship stint before his team take on England across all formats between early July and mid-September.

It is understood no deal is imminent but that Surrey did make an inquiry about the possibility of signing Kohli, only to be told the prolific middle-order batsman would be unavailable on international duty elsewhere after the Indian Premier League.

Should Kohli and India have a re-think, however, the likelihood is Surrey may consider making a new bid for his services - with three championship fixtures in June perhaps on the agenda.

Former Surrey and England batsman Graham Thorpe made it clear he would not be surprised to hear Kohli could yet be on the wish-list at The Oval - where his ex-club and country team-mate Alec Stewart is director of cricket.

"I'm sure Stewie will be looking at his back pocket and seeing if he can fund it up to get him with a brown cap on his head," said Thorpe, currently in New Zealand as batting coach for the Test leg of England's tour.

Asked if the brilliant Kohli would be a good addition to county cricket, Thorpe likened his possible impact to that made by the great Brian Lara - who hit the all-time first-class record high score of 501 not out after joining Warwickshire in 1994.

"That's entirely up to the counties, if they decide to sign him up," he said of Kohli.

"It would be good for him. It would be very good for him.

"When Lara came over, look what he did."

PA