Kohli flies to India due to family emergency, to return for 1st Test

Centurion, December 22

Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency but the senior batter will be back in time for next week’s first Test against South Africa.

Kohli had travelled to South Africa as part of the Indian squad for the two-Test series, which will begin at SuperSport Park on December 26.

“Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency. But he will be back before the start of the first Test,” a BCCI source said.

It is understood that Kohli had already taken permission from the BCCI about his short leave. “Virat had already left on Thursday and it was pre-decided. Virat didn’t take part in the three-day intra-squad match, in which India and India A players took part,” the source added.

No one in the BCCI could confirm the nature of the emergency. Kohli had missed out on a Test match during the last away series in South Africa due to a back injury. He will be back in the Rainbow Nation on December 24.

Meanwhile, Indian batter Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the two-match series, which is a part of the World Test Championship cycle, after fracturing his finger.

In Gaikwad’s place, Abhimanyu Easwaran, who had a good intra-squad match, has been drafted into the main team. Gaikwad had injured his finger while trying to take a catch during the second ODI against South Africa earlier this week.

Elgar to retire after series

Dean Elgar will retire from international cricket at the end of the series against India, the former South Africa Test captain said.

The opening batter has played 84 Tests and eight ODIs, scoring 5,146 runs at an average of 37.28 in the longest format, including 13 centuries and a career-best 199 against Bangladesh in 2017.

“Playing the game of cricket has always been a dream of mine but having the opportunity to represent your country is the ultimate,” the 36-year-old said in a statement. “Having had the privilege to do it for 12 years internationally is simply beyond my wildest dreams. It has been an incredible journey that I have been fortunate enough to have.”

Elgar captained South Africa in 17 Tests before losing the armband to Temba Bavuma in January this year. He won nine and lost six of his matches in charge, beating India 2-1 in a home series in 2022. — Agencies