Ahead of the eagerly awaited five-match Test series against England, Team India faced a significant setback. A recent report reveals that Rohit Sharma and his team will have to navigate the initial two Tests without the services of the batting maestro, Virat Kohli.

After making a return to the T20I format in the series against Afghanistan, Virat Kohli has decided to opt out of India’s upcoming Test series against England due to personal reasons. Despite a decent performance against Afghanistan, Kohli is scheduled to rejoin the Indian squad after the first two matches.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed Virat Kohli’s absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series against England. The cricket board expressed its full support for the former India captain’s decision.

🚨 NEWS 🚨

Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England citing personal reasons.

Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | #INDvENGhttps://t.co/q1YfOczwWJ

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2024

Virat Kohli personally communicated his decision to skipper Rohit Sharma and other members of the Indian team, underscoring that representing the country remains his utmost priority. The series opener against England is slated to commence on Thursday in Hyderabad, with Team India grappling with the absence of Kohli. The BCCI has appealed to both the media and fans to respect the privacy of the star batter.

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In a statement, the BCCI acknowledged Kohli’s commitment to the country and expressed understanding of the personal situations requiring his immediate attention. The board and team management have extended their support to the star batter, expressing confidence in the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series.