Virat Kohli has been given a bio-bubble break by BCCI and he is all set to miss the third match of the T20I series against West Indies. He will also miss the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka starting on February 24 in Lucknow.
On Friday Virat Kohli scored his 30th T20I fifty which helped India to set the score of 186/5 in 20 overs. In reply, West Indies fell short by 8 runs despite Rovman Powell’s heroics. India took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the series. It was India’s 8th consecutive win in this format.
Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant scored fifty against West Indies in the second T20I
After this series, India will play a series of 3 T20Is and 2 Tests against Sri Lanka which is their only remaining assignment before the IPL. The first T20I will be played in Lucknow on February 24 which will be followed by 2 back to back games in Dharamsala on February 26 and 27. Virat Kohli is likely to return for the Test series as the first test match will be played in Mohali from March 4 which will also be Kohli’s 100 Test match. The second match will be a day-night game in Bengaluru starting on March 12.
“Yes, Kohli has left home on Saturday morning as India have already won the series. As it has been decided by BCCI, it will be a policy to give all the regular all-format players periodic breaks from the bubble to ensure that their workload management and mental health is taken care of,” a senior BCCI official privy to the development told PTI.
According to PTI, the wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant has also been a break for the 3rd T20I match and like Kohli, he is likely to skip the T20I series against Sri Lanka as well. Pant played a blinder of knock on Friday as he scored 28-ball 52 to give India a flourish in the final overs.
Pant was given a break in the home test series against New Zealand last year in Nov-Dec, however, he is likely to be included for the 2-match series against Sri Lanka which will be very crucial for India’s chances in World Test Championship.
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