Virat Kohli had withdrawn from first two Tests against England for personal reason.
To be noted, Kohli had withdrawn from the first two Tests of the ongoing series due to personal reasons and had conveyed the same to the BCCI and India captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid.
However, it seems like the chances of him coming back for the third and fourth Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi respectively are fairly slim. As per a report, a BCCI official revealed that Kohli hasn't yet informed anything to the board or the team management but he will be straightaway picked whenever he makes himself available for selection.
“Virat will decide when he wants to make a comeback to the Indian side. He hasn’t informed us till now but whenever he decides to play, he will be included in the team,” the BCCI official was quoted by Indian Express.
Multiple speculations circulated regarding the likely reasons for Kohli's absence, but the only actual information came from former South African batter and Kohli's longtime friend AB de Villiers.
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AB de Villiers revealed on his YouTube channel that Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their second child.
“All I know is he is fine. He is spending a bit of time with his family, that is the reason he is missing the first two Test matches. I am not going to confirm anything else. I cannot wait to see him back. He is fine, he is doing well.
Yes, his second child is on the way. It’s family time and things are important to him… I think most people’s priority is family. You can’t judge Virat for that. He has made absolutely the right decision,” AB de Villiers said in his YouTube video.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul, who had missed the second Test due to a quadricep injury, is likely to return to the XI for the Rajkot Test starting February 15. Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a hamstring injury in 1st Test, is also expected to be back in the XI, for the third Test which will be played on his home ground in Rajkot.