Renowned Indian batsman Virat Kohli will be absent for the upcoming third and fourth Tests against England, scheduled to take place in Rajkot and Ranchi respectively.
Virat Kohli had previously opted out of the initial two Tests of the five-match series due to personal reasons. His continued absence for the subsequent two Tests is undoubtedly a matter of concern for Team India.
The third Test match is scheduled to take place at Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium starting from February 15, followed by the penultimate Test at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi from February 23.
There are also uncertainties surrounding Kohli’s availability for the fifth Test in Dharmasala, set to commence on March 6.
The selectors are anticipated to reveal the squad for the remaining three Tests sometime this week.
It’s understood that either selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar or the BCCI’s top officials will communicate with him to obtain a clearer understanding of his situation.
However, Team India can breathe a sigh of relief as their ace players KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the second Test in Vizag due to injuries, are expected to be available for the third Test.
The personal reason for which Kohli opted out of the Tests is the impending arrival of his second child, as revealed by his close friend and former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
De Villiers mentioned that Kohli has made the right decision by taking a break.
Yes, his second child is on the way. It’s family time and things are important to him. If you are not true and genuine to yourself, you lose track of what you are here for.
De Villiers even said “I think most people’s priority is family. You can’t judge Virat for that. Yes, we miss him. But he has made absolutely the right decision”.
