India skipper Virat Kohli received the International Player of the Year award for 2017-2018 by England’s Barmy Army as India concluded Day 1 of the practice match against Essex on Wednesday. Barmy Army is a popular fan club of English cricket supporters and last year they even shared a video of Kohli. The fan club this year went ahead and presented him with the award.

The BCCI, on its official Twitter account, shared the picture of Kohli holding the award and the post read, “The @TheBarmyArmy presents #TeamIndia Captain @imVkohli with the International Player of the Year for years 2017 and 2018.”

Say cheese 📸📸

The @TheBarmyArmy presents #TeamIndia Captain @imVkohli with the International Player of the Year for years 2017 and 2018. pic.twitter.com/sr0Z7TkDYv

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 25, 2018

Kohli warmed up nicely for the first Test against England with a half-century as the visitors posted 322 for 6 on the opening day of their three-day tour match. Virat, who had struggled all through the previous Test tour of England in 2014, played a crucial role in reviving the Indian innings after the visiting team was reduced to 5/2 in the third over and 44/3 in the 19th over.

KL Rahul scored 58, while Dinesh Karthik remained unbeaten on 82 as India ended the day on 322/6. The match was reduced from four days to three at the request of India, who were concerned about the hot weather and the tight nature of their schedule.

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Team India will travel to Birmingham a day earlier than planned, with the Test at Edgbaston starting next Wednesday. With the practice-match shortened, India will have all 18 members of the squad available to bat and bowl in what is no longer a first-class fixture.

The five-match Test series, beginning from August 1, will also be a test for the English team as they have failed to win any of their last three series with just one match won. The last time India toured England was under the leadership of MS Dhoni. The Indian side lost the five-match Test series 3-1 after the first tie ended in a draw.