India’s star batsman, Virat Kohli, will continue to be absent from the squad for the remaining three Tests against England due to undisclosed “personal reasons,” announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday.
The BCCI issued a statement saying, “Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons.” They also emphasized their full respect and support for Kohli’s decision.
While the exact reason for Kohli’s absence has not been officially disclosed, South African cricket legend AB de Villiers hinted on his YouTube Channel last week that Kohli and his wife, Anushka Sharma, were expecting their second child.
“All I know is he is fine. He is spending a bit of time with his family, that is the reason he is missing the first two Test matches,” said de Villiers. “Yes, his second child is on the way. Yes, it’s family time and things are important to him.”
India leveled the ongoing five-match Test series against England 1-1 with a convincing 106-run victory in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. The third Test is scheduled to start on February 15 in Rajkot.
Kohli, known for his stellar performances, remains a key figure in India’s batting lineup. His absence leaves a significant void in the team, especially given his impressive record in Test cricket.
In addition to Kohli, top-order batsman Shreyas Iyer was also absent from the squad named for the remainder of the series. Iyer had undergone back surgery for a slipped disc last year and reportedly experienced back spasms after the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
The squad for the remaining Tests includes notable names like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team.
England, led by Ben Stokes, claimed victory in the series opener, but India bounced back strongly in the second Test under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.
India Squad for Remaining Tests:
- Rohit Sharma (capt)
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Shubman Gill
- K.L. Rahul
- Rajat Patidar
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- K.S. Bharat (wk)
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Mukesh Kumar
- Akash Deep
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