Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England, cites personal reasons

Kohli is amongst the seniormost batters in the Indian line-up

Top Indian batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming five-match series against England, citing personal reasons, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on January 22.

The men’s selection committee will name Kohli's replacement soon for the first two matches, the cricket body said in a media release.

Kohli informed skipper Rohit Sharma, along with the team management and selectors about his unavailability, the BCCI stated.

Kohli conveyed that while representing the country has always been his top priority, "certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention", it added.

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The BCCI said it "respects his decision" and the board and team management has extended its support Kohli. It has further requested the media and fans to "respect Kohli's privacy" and "refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons".

Earlier this month, Kohli also withdrew from the first T20 match played against Afghanistan in Mohali on January 11, citing personal reasons. He, however, returned for the second game, scoring a quickfire 29 off 16 balls. In the third match, he was dismissed for a duck.

India vs England Test series

The five-match contest will start from January 25, with the first game scheduled in at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. This will be followed by the second match slated for February 2-6 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Vizag.

The third Test will be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot from February 15-19, fourth at JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi from February 23-27, followed by the fifth and final match scheduled at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala from March 7-11.