Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests in the upcoming five-match series against England citing ‘personal reasons’ on Monday. Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma were both invited for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya but they ended up not attending. However, a lookalike of Kohli was mobbed by fans for selfies and the video of the entire incident has gone viral on social media. The video showed that fans were excited to catch a glimpse of the Virat Kohli lookalike and there was a huge crowd gathered around the individual who wanted to meet him and take selfies.
Meanwhile, Kohli has pulled out of the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons which “demand his presence and undivided attention”, the BCCI said on Monday.
The BCCI urged the fans and media to refrain from speculating about the exact reason for his forced break before the five-match series begins in Hyderabad on January 25. The Board said it will name a replacement for the star batter soon.
Duplicate Virat Kohli at Ayodhya.
– People going crazy after seeing Duplicate Virat Kohli. [Piyush Rai]pic.twitter.com/eJeWkr5TBJ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 22, 2024
“Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
The BCCI also said that Kohli has discussed his decision with skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management.
“Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention,” the release further stated.
Shah also said that BCCI completely backs its star player and has faith in the team and its ability to get results even without its best batter.
“The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series,” the secretary said.
He also urged everyone to respect Kohli’s privacy.
“The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons.
“The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series,” Shah said.
(With PTI inputs)
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