Virat Kohli to miss first 2 Tests against England due to personal reasons
Team India batter Virat Kohli will miss the first two Tests of the five-match series against England due to personal reasons. The former skipper had recently recused himself from the first T20I against Afghanistan on January 11 due to the same reason.
There is no clarity behind Kohli's recurrent departures from the squad of late. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has urged the public not to speculate on the reasons for the same. The BCCI has also asked fans to respect the player's privacy at the moment.
The BCCI released a statement that read:
"Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons. Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention."
"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series. The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series," the statement continued.
The BCCI's statement also mentions that the team management will soon name a replacement player for Virat Kohli for the first two Tests. The first two matches of the series are scheduled to begin on January 25 and February 2, respectively.
Virat Kohli's convoy was seen in Ayodhya ahead of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony
Virat Kohli was one of the few Indian players invited to the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishta ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday, January 22. He left for Ayodhya on Sunday, January 21, after finishing a training session in Hyderabad, and his convoy was spotted on the streets as well leading up to the event.
However, surprisingly, there has been no footage of him from the actual ceremony, which was conducted on Monday afternoon. Other prominent players like Ravindra Jadeja, Anil Kumble, and Sachin Tendulkar were seen marking their presence at the auspicious event.
How will India cope with the ace batter's absence for the first two Tests against England? Let us know what you think.