India’s Star Batsman Virat Kohli Ruled Out for Remaining Matches of England Test Series

Virat Kohli, the prominent Indian cricketer, will be absent for the remainder of the Test series against England due to personal reasons. The 35-year-old, who stepped down as captain, had already opted out of the first two Tests. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Kohli’s continued absence from the remaining three matches, stating that they fully support his decision.

Kohli’s withdrawal from the initial Tests was attributed to “personal situations demanding his presence and undivided attention,” as stated by the BCCI. With 113 Tests under his belt, Kohli ranks fourth in India’s all-time leading run-scorers with 8,848 runs. His absence comes as the series stands level at 1-1, with the third Test scheduled to commence in Rajkot on February 15.

Having captained the team in 68 Tests from 2014 to 2022, Kohli’s recent absence marks his first missed Test for India in over two years. His last absence was in January 2022 when a back spasm ruled him out of a match against South Africa in Johannesburg.

India managed to clinch a victory in the second Test by 106 runs in Visakhapatnam, equalizing the series. Notably, batter Shreyas Iyer, who participated in the first two Tests, is also omitted from the 17-man squad named for the remaining fixtures.

Spinner Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul, both of whom featured in the first Test, have been recalled to the squad pending clearance from the BCCI medical team. Additionally, uncapped seamer Akash Deep has received a call-up.

The India squad for the remaining Tests comprises Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep.