Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli underwent scans for an undisclosed injury ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series against Australia. According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the exact nature of the injury remains unclear. Sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed that the 36-year-old had scans on Thursday.
Despite concerns, Kohli participated in an intra-squad match at the WACA Stadium on Friday, scoring 15 runs before being caught at second slip. His participation in the practice match suggests that the injury might not be serious, but its impact on his performance in the series opener on November 22 remains to be seen.
Kohli, a veteran of 13 Test matches in Australia, boasts an impressive record Down Under, having scored 1352 runs, including six centuries. His remarkable performances during the 2014-15 tour, where he scored four centuries, remain a testament to his dominance in Australian conditions. However, the star batter has been grappling with a dip in form recently, managing only 93 runs in three Tests against New Zealand in the previous series.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri remains confident in Kohli’s ability to shine in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. “The king is back in his territory,” Shastri said on the ICC Review show. “When you’ve earned that title with your exploits in Australia, it will weigh on your opponents’ minds.”
India, led by Rohit Sharma, will be banking on Kohli’s experience and grit to anchor the batting lineup in what promises to be a fiercely contested series. The opening Test is set to be held at the Perth Stadium, a venue where Kohli scored a sublime 123 during the 2018-19 tour.
India’s historic 2-1 series win during that tour marked the first time they claimed a Test series victory on Australian soil. While Kohli played a pivotal role in that success, he was absent for most of the 2020-21 series, which India also won 2-1.
As anticipation builds, fans and critics alike will closely watch Kohli’s fitness and form, pivotal factors in India’s campaign to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
