IND vs ENG: Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests citing personal reasons

Ahead of the all-important five-match Test series against England, India has got a major blow as the star batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests of the series. Notably, the series will get underway with the first Test on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad while the second Test will be played in Visakhapatnam from February 02.

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) also informed that some personal reasons have resulted in Kohli’s absence from the first two Tests. The Delhi-born cricketer had a chat with the captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors and revealed that certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention. The replacement for the batting star will be announced soon.

The BCCI has also requested fans and the media to respect Kohli’s privacy and refrain from intruding on his family’s personal space. Notably, Kohli’s absence will be a major blow to the Indian batting lineup as the 35-year-old has a stellar record against England.

The right-handed batter has scored 1991 runs against the Three Lions at an average of 42.36 with five hundreds and nine fifties to his name. During the 2016 home series between the two teams, the former India captain was seen at his imperious best finishing as the leading run scorer across five Tests with 655 runs to his name at an average of 109.16 and with two hundred and two fifties to his name.