Virat Kohli could do with a county stint ahead of India's Test series in England later in the year, said former India captain Kapil Dev.

Kohli has been in sensational form over the last couple of years. He finished 2017 as the leading run-scorer in ODIs and amassed 871 runs on India's tour of South Africa - he was the top-run scorer in the three-Test series and then smashed 558 runs including three hundreds in six ODIs.

However, India and Kohli will face a tougher challenge in England, where they lost a Test series 4-0 in 2011 and 3-1 in 2014. Kohli had a particularly nightmarish series four years ago but he has since blossomed and is now regarded as the best batsman in the world across formats.

The five-match contest between the two sides begins in August and India will be hoping to improve their performance on English soil having recorded just three Test victories since 1986.

Kapil, who lifted the World Cup as skipper in 1983, said Kohli is among the worlds elite batsmen who must get runs everywhere.

"Practice makes a man perfect. One has to practise those conditions, Kapil told British media. "The bar which we as cricketers set for these people is that you have to be good in all conditions.

"Thats what we used to say about Allan Border or Vivian Richards or Sunil Gavaskar - they were players to play any part, anywhere, any kind of conditions, they used to perform.

"Virat Kohli, the question mark is in front of him, its there. He has to get runs where it is considered to be the toughest conditions in the world."

During Indias last Test series in England four years ago, Kohli averaged a disappointing 13.40, way below his career batting average of 53.40 from 66 Tests.

Kapil, who led India to a Test series victory in England in 1986, spent two seasons playing for Northamptonshire and believes a similar spell would help the 29-year-old Kohli to adapt to English pitches.

"What were seeing, with his temperament, I think hes good enough. It all depends if he gets a good start. He has the ability," the former all-rounder added.

"If he can play a season or two in English county cricket there would be nothing wrong, because if you want to be the best player in the world you have to get runs everywhere."

Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma (Sussex) and batsman Cheteshwar Pujara (Yorkshire) are currently signed to play on the county circuit before the tour begins.

(With Reuters inputs)