Virat Kohli misses three-day warm-up game against select county XI due to back stiffness

India and RCB captain Virat Kohli has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team after he felt some stiffness in the back. The Indian captain is skipping the three-day warm-up game against a combined county side.

In absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma is leading the Indian side.

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane too is sitting out as he has a mild swelling around his left upper hamstring.

Rahane is expected to recover in time for the first Test and is being closely monitored by the BCCI medical team.

Two Indian cricketers Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar are playing for the County Select XI after ECB made a special request to the Indian team management.

The ECB was forced to make the request as some of the players could not be available for the game, owing to injury issues or were deemed close contacts of those infected with the COVID-19 virus.

The Indian team is sporting black armbands to mourn the demise of India’s 1983 world cup winning member Yashpal Sharma.

[Inputs from BCCI media release]