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Famous batsman Virat Kohli of the Indian cricket team
withdrew from the first two Test matches of the five-match series against
England due to “personal reasons.” The replacement will be appointed
soon, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which
broke the news on Monday. The BCCI asked the public and media to respect
Virat’s privacy and refrain from speculating on the cause of his absence in the
official statement. On social media, renowned England batter Kevin Pietersen
shared similar comments, supporting Virat and stating that it is OK for a
sportsperson to withdraw from a competition for personal reasons.
“If a sportsman pulls out for personal reasons,
RESPECT IT! End of!” Pietersen posted on X.
Earlier, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on
Sunday confirmed that star batter Harry Brook will miss the India Test tour due
to personal reasons.
ECB released a statement to announce Brook’s absence –
“Harry Brook is set to return home with immediate effect for personal
reasons from the England Men’s Test tour of India. He will not be returning to
India. The England selectors will confirm a replacement player for the tour in
due course.”
Kohli recently cited “personal reasons” for
missing the opening Twenty20 International match against Afghanistan.
During India’s tour of South Africa, he had taken a
brief hiatus for personal reasons once more. He missed an intra-squad practice
match and left for London a few days after landing in South Africa.
The last time he took a vacation during a Test series
was for a paternity leave following the birth of his daughter Vamika in 2021.
This hiatus was unrelated to any injuries. He participated in just the series’
opening Test.