MOHALI: Renowned Indian batsman Virat Kohli will be absent from the first T20 international against Afghanistan due to “personal reasons,” announced coach Rahul Dravid on Wednesday.
Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma have made a comeback to the T20 squad after over a year’s hiatus, gearing up for a three-match series starting Thursday in Mohali, as part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup scheduled for June.
Dravid confirmed the news during a press conference, stating, “Virat Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons. He will be playing from the second and third T20.”
The upcoming series marks Kohli and Rohit’s return to T20 internationals since November 2022 when India faced a defeat against England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
The second T20 match is set to take place in Indore on Sunday, followed by the final match scheduled for January 17 in Bengaluru.
