Virat Kohli might not play in the next three Tests against England. There’s a small chance he might join the team for the third and fourth Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi, but it’s not certain. However, the officials from BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and the selectors are still hopeful.
They’re going to meet on Thursday to decide on the squad. They’re waiting for Kohli to let them know when he’s ready to play, and when he does, they’ll pick him straight away.
Kohli missed the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam because of personal reasons. He practiced with the team in Hyderabad for a day but then decided to sit out the first two Tests. The BCCI didn’t say exactly why he wasn’t playing but asked everyone to respect his decision. Soon after, Kohli left India.
There were rumors about why Kohli wasn’t playing, but the only solid information came from his friend AB de Villiers, a former cricketer from South Africa. AB de Villiers said Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their second child.
AB de Villiers said, “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.”
According to ESPNCricinfo, Kohli might not play in the third and fourth Tests and might also miss the fifth and final one in Dharamsala.
So, it looks like Kohli will be taking some time off from cricket to be with his family for the birth of his second child.