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Team India suffers setback as Virat Kohli opts out of first two Tests against England due to 'personal reasons'

According to the BCCI statement, Kohli has communicated his decision to skipper Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors.

By Omar | Jan 22, 2024 | 2 Min Read

Former Indian captain, Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the initial two Tests against England, citing personal reasons, delivering a blow to the Indian cricket team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially confirmed this development in a statement on Monday. Although the BCCI has not yet named a replacement for Kohli, plans for one are expected to be announced in due course. Kohli had previously pulled out of the first T20I against Afghanistan for similar ‘personal reasons,’ with the specific nature of the situation undisclosed.

According to the BCCI statement, “Kohli has communicated his decision to skipper Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors. Kohli emphasized that while representing the country remains his top priority, certain personal situations require his undivided attention. The BCCI has expressed respect for Kohli’s decision, extending support to the star batter and expressing confidence in the remaining squad members’ abilities to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series.”

The BCCI has 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. The primary focus, according to the statement, should be on supporting the Indian cricket team as they face upcoming challenges in the Test series.

The Men’s Selection Committee is expected to announce a replacement soon. India is slated to play a five-match Test series against England, commencing on January 25 in Hyderabad, with the second match scheduled for February 2 in Vizag. Kohli is anticipated to return for the remaining three matches of the series.

The India squad for the first two Tests against England includes 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.