Indian cricket team stalwart Virat Kohli has pulled out from the first two Tests against England over ‘personal reasons’. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the same via a statement on Monday. The BCCI hasn’t yet named a replacement for Kohli but plans to do so in due time. Earlier, Kohli had pulled out of the first T20I against Afghanistan too due to ‘personal reasons’. It has, however, not been revealed what the personal situation is that Virat is dealing with.
The BCCI released stated that Virat has already spoken to skipper Rohit Sharma on the matter and he has the captain’s support on the matter. In Kohli’s absence, there will be huge responsibility on the shoulders of youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, etc. to step up and deliver.
NEWS
Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England citing personal reasons.
Details #TeamIndia | #INDvENGhttps://t.co/q1YfOczwWJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2024
The BCCI statement 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 Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons.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 Men’s Selection Committee will name a replacement soon.”
India are scheduled to play a five-match Test series against England, the first of which will be held in Hyderabad on January 25. The second match of the series will be played on February 2 in Vizag. Virat Kohli is expected to return for the remaining three matches of the series.
India Squad For First Two Tests vs England: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc) and Avesh Khan
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