Ace Indian batter Virat Kohli has pulled out of the first two Tests against England, starting Thursday in Hyderabad. The former captain has cited personal reasons for his unavailability and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has accepted Kohli’s request.
On Monday, the BCCI released an official statement on Kohli withdrawing from the first two matches which are scheduled to be played in Hyderabad and Vizag.
“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 statement read.
“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,” it added.
The Indian cricket board has requested the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy, refraining from any kind of speculations about his ‘personal’ reasons.
“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,” it added.
Replacement to be announced soon
The BCCI further stated that Kohli’s statement will be announced soon. The team has begun with its preparation at the Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad which will be hosting the first Test match since 2018, against West Indies.
Rinku Singh added to India A
White-ball specialist Rinku Singh was on Tuesday drafted into the India ‘A’ squad for the second four-day match against England Lions in Ahmedabad starting Wednesday. The explosive middle-order batter, known for his exploits in the T20I format, had made his ODI debut in the South Africa series where he played two matches scoring 17 and 38.
The Uttar Pradesh lefthander has played 44 first-class matches, scoring 3109 runs at an average of 57.57.
India ‘A’ had drawn the first four-day match against the England Lions last week.
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