Virat Kohli skips the first two Test matches against England.

Table of Contents

BCCI announces Kohli’s withdrawal from the series

Virat Kohli : For personal reasons, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli has decided not to play in the first two Test matches against England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday. Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, announced the decision in a statement and asked the public and media to refrain from conjecturing about Kohli’s personal circumstances.

“Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons,” said Jay Shah. The BCCI stressed that Kohli has spoken with team manager Rohit Sharma and other squad members about his choice.

🚨 NEWS 🚨

Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England citing personal reasons.

Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | #INDvENG https://t.co/q1YfOczwWJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2024

Kohli says personal situations demand his presence and attention

Prominent for his dedication to supporting his country, Kohli stated that some personal matters require all of his focus. “Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention,” the statement said.

BCCI to reveal Kohli’s replacement soon

It is anticipated that the board would soon reveal Virat Kohli’s replacement. On January 25, in Hyderabad, the five-match series versus England is set to begin.

BCCI requests media and fans to respect Kohli’s privacy

“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 release added.

Kohli’s recent performances in international cricket

After missing the white-ball matches, Kohli, who has amassed 1991 Test runs at an average of 42.36 versus England, participated in the Test series in South Africa. In addition, he was absent from the first Twenty20 International match against Afghanistan but played in the next two.

Possible changes in India’s batting order

India may choose to promote Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul one slot apiece and bring in KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel as a front-line wicketkeeping option because their No. 4 batsman is expected to miss the first two Test matches. Rajat Patidar, who recently scored hundreds of runs in both the practice match and the four-day encounter in Ahmedabad against the England Lions, is an alternative if he is not selected for the team.