The Indian cricket team lost Virat Kohli for the first two Tests after he decided to step back because of certain personal reasons. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t reveal the reason behind Kohl’s late withdrawal from squad but lent full support to the former skipper. As fans continue to contemplate what the personal situation is that forced Virat to withdraw from he first two Tests, former England captain Nasser Hussain has called for the decision to be respected.
“My first thought is that we wish Virat well. Like Brook, he’s taken a step back for personal reasons, and everyone in the game should respect that. Some things are more important than cricket,” Vaughan wrote in his column for Daily Mail.
On the sporting front, Hussain has no doubt that the Indian team has been weakened by Kohli’s absence, with the situation giving Ben Stokes‘ men an opportunity to take advantage.
“But there’s no doubt that India, and the series, will miss him. He’s also been in great form, and his absence from Thursday’s first Test at Hyderabad and next week’s second at Visakhapatnam deprives fans all over the world from watching a genius at work,” he added.
“That said, any team would suffer when a player of Kohli’s class drops out, and it gives England a glimmer of hope in the first two Tests of a series in which they begin as clear underdogs.”
One other thought about Kohli’s decision. Being at the World Cup late last year was a reminder of the claustrophobic lives these Indian players lead. I was at the hotel gym one day when I saw KL Rahul being mobbed by fans on the short walk from the gym to the lifts,” he said.
“These guys get no respite from a life spent, it seems, either on the field or in their hotels, and it amazes me how few of them have felt the need to step back from the game for a while to spend time with their families. I’m full of admiration for the way in which Indian cricketers have managed to balance the amount they play, all over the world, with the goldfish-bowl lifestyle they lead,” Hussain added.
