Image Credit- BCCI
The senior Indian batsman Virat Kohli is slated to
miss the third and fourth Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi, respectively, extending
his absence from the England series. The selectors will take this into
consideration when they meet this week to choose the India team for the
remaining three Tests. There are also concerns regarding Kohli’s availability
for the fifth Test, which will take place in Dharmasala starting on March 6.
Three days before the England series commenced, on
January 22, the BCCI declared that Kohli had withdrawn from the first two Tests
due to “personal reasons”. In order to join the Indian team, Kohli
had flown into Hyderabad the same morning, but he left the same day.
The BCCI has not made any further comment on Kohli’s
absence since that statement, which said: “Virat has spoken to Captain
Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that
while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain
personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.”
Mohammed Siraj, one of the players who missed the
second Test, is expected to return after taking a precautionary break. At the
NCA in Bangalore, KL Rahul, who missed the first Test due to a quad strain, and
Ravindra Jadeja, who hurt his hamstring in the first Test, are having their
fitness assessed.
Although the NCA physio’s final evaluation is still
pending, both players’ prognosis is favourable. India are hopeful that,
assuming both Jadeja and Rahul receive fitness clearance, at least one of
them—if not both—will be eligible for the match, even though the third Test is
not scheduled to begin for another week.
Siraj is the only confirmed returnee for the Rajkot
Test. Due to workload constraints, the fast bowler was rested for the second
Test after bowling 11 overs in the first Test loss at his home venue of
Hyderabad.
The bowling lineup, which depended on Jasprit Bumrah’s
skill to win the second Test, will benefit from Siraj’s comeback. With the
World Cup last year, Bumrah, the only bowler in the world to have topped the
ICC rankings in every format, began his recovery from a stress fracture in his
back. The team management will have to take his fatigue into account, but he
should play in the Rajkot Test on Thursday.