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[Saba Sports News] Virat Kohli, the prominent Indian cricketer, is slated to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, following approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Indian cricket team will have a brief hiatus after their third T20I against Afghanistan on January 17, regrouping in Hyderabad on January 20 to prepare for their Test match against England, starting January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.
As per a Cricbuzz report, while the 16-member Indian squad will commence practice sessions in Hyderabad, Kohli plans to travel to Ayodhya after his January 21 practice to partake in the significant ceremony. Kohli, 35, along with his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, received the invitation to this sacred event at their residence in Mumbai. Other cricket legends, including MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, have also been invited to this auspicious occasion.
In the lead-up to this event, Kohli has been actively training at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for the upcoming T20I against Afghanistan. Returning to the T20I squad after 14 months, he showcased an aggressive approach in the second game in Indore, scoring a swift 29 runs off 16 balls. His performance came amidst discussions about his adaptability to contemporary T20I standards.
Despite debates around his strike rate and playing style, the selectors have reaffirmed their confidence in both Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. The duo is expected to play crucial roles in the tournament, commencing on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.