Following the five-match T20I series against Australia at home, Team India will travel to South Africa for an all-format tour, comprising three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.

For the white-ball leg of the tour, India’s star batter Virat Kohli will not be available for selection, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday (November 29).

According to the report, Kohli has informed the BCCI of his decision to take a break. The 35-year-old, however, will feature in the Test matches.

“He (Kohli) has informed the BCCI and selectors that he needs a break from white-ball cricket and he will get back to them about when he wants to play white ball cricket next. At the moment he has informed the BCCI that he will be playing red-ball cricket, which means he is available for selection for the two Test matches in South Africa,” The Indian Express quoted a source as saying.

Virat Kohli performed exceptionally well in the recently held ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He finished the campaign as the highest run-getter, amassing 765 runs from 11 innings at an average of 95.62 with three hundreds and six half-centuries.

The report also claimed that there is no clarity on whether India skipper Rohit Sharma will be available for selection in the white-ball series against South Africa or not. Rohit is currently on holiday after leading India to the final of the 2023 World Cup.

Apparently, BCCI secretary Jay Shah will be soon speaking to Rohit and chief selector Ajit Agarkar to discuss the future roadmap.

India’s tour of South Africa is scheduled to get underway on December 10 with the T20I series. The white-ball series will culminate on December 21, while the Test series will run from December 26 to January 7.

(The Indian Express Inputs)