"I made a terrible mistake. Sharing false information which was not true at all" - De Villiers rectifies his comments on Kohli's leave of absence
Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers has stated that the information he revealed on his YouTube channel regarding Virat Kohli's extended absence from the sport is not true at all.
De Villiers had earlier stated that Kohli is expecting the birth of his second child, which is why he has made himself unavailable for Team India's first two Tests against England. The former India skipper, who is expected to miss the remainder of the home series as well due to personal reasons, is yet to shed any details over his abrupt withdrawal from the squad.
AB de Villiers wished for the best for Kohli and his family, and hopes that his former franchise teammate returns to the field as soon as possible.
"Family comes first, it's priority, as I said on my YouTube channel. Also, made a terrible mistake at the same time, sharing false information which was not true at all. I just think whatever is best for Virat and his family comes first", De Villiers told Dainik Bhaskar on the sidelines of the ongoing SA 2024 tournament.
"No one knows what is happening there, all I can do is wish him well, and the whole world that follows Virat and enjoys his cricket must wish him well. Whatever the reason is for this break, I really hope that he comes back stronger and better, healthier and fresh, and ready to take on the world again", he added.
Earlier it was claimed that Kohli's absence was due to his mother's illness, which was immediately refuted by the cricketer's brother on social media.
The batter was all set to play the ongoing Test series against England after being initially named in the squad and also having reported to Hyderabad ahead of the series opener. However, he flew out on short notice on the same day, leading to the BCCI posting an official statement and roping in Rajat Patidar as a replacement player.
Team India expected to announce squad for the remaining Tests against England soon; Kohli not expected to be named
With a lengthy ten-day break between the second and the third Test of the series, the selection committee is awaiting updates across several fronts before officially naming the squad for the remaining three Tests of the series.
A recent report from ESPN Cricinfo mentions that Virat Kohli is also expected to miss the next two Tests against England. Moreover, it states that doubts still persist over his availability for the final Test, as he deals with the aforementioned personal issue.
The team management is also awaiting fitness reports on Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul before announcing the squad. Kohli's last appearance on the field came during the third T20I against Afghanistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in January 2024, where he recorded a golden duck.