Star Batsman Kohli pulls out of Delhi’s Ranji Trophy match on Jan 23, cites neck injury as reason to BCCI
Virat Kohli has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his unavailability for the upcoming round of the Ranji Trophy due to a persistent neck injury. Kohli, who suffered the injury during the Sydney Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, had received injections for relief on January 8. However, he continues to experience discomfort, prompting the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to include him in the squad with the understanding that he might not play.
The BCCI recently introduced a 10-point guideline emphasizing the importance of domestic cricket participation for centrally contracted players. This guideline states that players must provide medical proof for any absences, underscoring the need for compliance to maintain eligibility for national selection and central contracts.
Alongside Kohli, KL Rahul is also sidelined due to an elbow niggle and will miss Karnataka’s match against Punjab. With both players unlikely to participate in red-ball cricket before the ODI series against England starting February 6, their focus will shift to recovery ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. The final round of the Ranji Trophy concludes just before this series, making their fitness crucial for India’s upcoming challenges.