India's former skipper Virat Kohli will miss the next Rajkot and Ranchi Tests against England owing to personal reasons. Kohli's absence from the first two Tests was reportedly due to personal reasons. Now, various Indian media agencies have stated that he will also skip the third and fourth Tests of the series. This news has been welcomed with sympathy and support, with former England captain Nasser Hussain emphasizing that Kohli's private life must come first.
The BCCI confirmed Kohli's surprising withdrawal from the first two Tests on January 22, citing his personal concerns. While the playing 11 for the final three Tests has still to be announced, players like Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul could make a comeback.
Virat Kohli is likely to miss the 3rd and 4th Test match against England🏏 (ESPNcricinfo) pic.twitter.com/PYL8U9v6E2
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) February 7, 2024
Kohli's absence would surely be felt since he is like the backbone of the Indian squad, recognized for his great batting abilities. His leadership and performance on the pitch have been critical to many of India's successes. Everyone is aware of the test performances of Kohli and his prestigious captainship which upgraded the rank of Team India in the overall test rankings. However, the team will have to do without him in the upcoming matches.
The responsibility is now on the remaining players, who must fulfill their roles and cover the void created by Kohli and would try to continue their success and win the forthcoming Tests.
The only definite return for the Rajkot Test is off Siraj. The fast bowler, who bowled 11 overs in the first Test at his home stadium of Hyderabad, was rested for the second Test due to workload concerns.
The return of Siraj will benefit the bowling attack, especially Jasprit Bumrah's who alone took command of the team to win the second Test. Bumrah, the only bowler in the world to have risen to the top of the ICC rankings in all forms, began his comeback from fracture last year, with the World Cup. Managing his workload will be a factor for team management and Siraj, but he is expected to play in the Rajkot Test next Thursday.
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