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Virat Kohli hints at skipping pink-ball warm-up match against Australia A

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Dec 09, 2020, 06:54 PM IST
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File photo of Virat Kohli. Photograph:(AFP)

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India A might be without Virat Kohli in the pink-ball warm-up match with the Indian skipper expected to rest. Kohli has been playing continuous cricket since the IPL 2020 began and didn’t miss a single match in the white-ball matches against Australia. 

The action in India’s tour of Australia 2020-21 will now move to the four-match Test series after the successful completion of the ODI and T20I series. The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to commence from December 17 with the pink-ball Test. Preparations for the much-awaited day-night Test is already running in full flow and the Indian team is scheduled to play a practice match against Australia A, under the lights with the pink ball. 

However, India A might be without Virat Kohli in the pink-ball warm-up match with the Indian skipper expected to rest. Kohli has been playing continuous cricket since the IPL 2020 began and didn’t miss a single match in the white-ball matches against Australia. 

India are expected to field players from the Test squad, who were also part of the limited-overs series but Kohli has hinted he might not be a part of the match.

After the completion of the third T20I, Kohli said he would only take part in the match if his body allows doing so. He said that playing for a specific part of the match is not his thing and will only play the full game if the physios give him clearance. 

"I will wake up tomorrow and see if I can play the tour match. Playing it on and off is not my thing and I like to play the full game. I will talk to our physio and then decide on my participation," he said on Tuesday (December 8).

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are confirmed to participate in the pink-ball warm-up match against Australia A after getting adequate rest in the white-ball encounters. If Kohli misses out, then Ajinkya Rahane is expected to continue to lead the side. 

The second first-class match between India A and Australia A will kick off on December 11. The match will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.