Virat Kohli is all set to miss the third and final game of the three-match series between India and South Africa in Indore after it has emerged that the ex-Indian captain did not travel with the team to Indore. India have already secured a series victory after winning the first two games of the series.
Social media users pictured Kohli at the Mumbai airport on the eve of the third T20I which has led to speculation that he will not be available for selection for the last game of the series. The Indore T20I which will take place in the city’s famous Holkar Stadium on Tuesday (October 4). This will be India’s final game before the T20 WC bound players travel to Australia for the mega event.
The Rohit Sharma-led side are expected to travel down under on October 6 and are expected to hold a preparatory camp before their two ICC sanctioned warm-up games against Australia and New Zealand on October 17 and 19 respectively at the Gabba in Brisbane. India will kick off their campaign on October 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against arch-rivals Pakistan.
News agency PTI have confirmed that Kohli and vice-captain KL Rahul will skip the series finale. “Yes, both Virat and Rahul have been rested from the final T20I,” said a BCCI official to PTI.
Kohli played a vital role in India’s victory in the second T20I at Guwahati on Sunday (October 2) by playing an unbeaten knock of 49 in just 29 balls which helped the Men in Blue put up a big total of 237 on the board. It was KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav who were stars of the show as both hit splendid half-centuries while scoring 57 and 61 runs with strike-rates above the 200-run mark. Earlier, the duo also scored half-centuries in the first T20I as India won the series opener with a dominant 8-wicket win in Thiruvananthapuram.
Ever since making his return to the sport in the 2022 Asia Cup after an extended break following a poor run of form in England tour across formats, Kohli has looked in glorious touch having made 404 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.71 and strike-rate of 141.75. This run of form has included three half-centuries and a ton.
