Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli has opted out of the initial two Tests in the upcoming five-match series against England, citing personal reasons, as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on January 22.
The men’s selection committee is set to name Kohli’s replacement for the first two matches, with the cricket body emphasizing his withdrawal is due to personal situations demanding his presence and undivided attention. Kohli informed skipper Rohit Sharma, the team management, and selectors about his unavailability.
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While Kohli has consistently prioritized representing the country, the BCCI respects his decision and has extended support, urging media and fans to respect his privacy and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons.
Earlier this month, Kohli withdrew from the first T20 match against Afghanistan on January 11, citing personal reasons but made a swift return for the second game, contributing a brisk 29 off 16 balls. In the third match, however, he faced dismissal without scoring.
It was recently revealed by Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma that the latter is pregnant with Kohli’s second child. The personal leave that Kohli has gotten could be in relation to that.