On Monday (January 22), the BCCI announced that Virat Kohli will be opting out of the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons. The cricket board stated that Kohli, after discussions with Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors, emphasized the need for his undivided attention to certain personal situations.
In a media release, the BCCI expressed respect for Kohli’s decision, assuring him of their support. The board is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the upcoming Test series.
The release urged the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. It emphasized keeping the focus on supporting the Indian cricket team as they face upcoming challenges in the Test series.
Virat Kohli, with 1991 Test runs against England at an average of 42.36, participated in the Test series in South Africa after missing the white-ball games. He recently skipped the first T20I against Afghanistan but played in the remaining two matches.
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With Kohli absent for the first two Tests, India has various options, including moving Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul up the batting order and considering KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel as a frontline wicketkeeping option. Outside the current squad, Rajat Patidar, who impressed in practice matches against England Lions, and Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan are potential choices. Additionally, the option to bring back Cheteshwar Pujara, who started the Ranji Trophy season with a double hundred against Jharkhand, is on the table.
The first Test is scheduled for January 25 in Hyderabad, while the second Test will commence on February 2 in Visakhapatnam.
