Virat Kohli - players.bio

Rohit Sharma's assurance to super-subs paying off

Rohit Sharma was asked about a batter of Shreyas Iyer's calibre warming the bench at the Eden Gardens, he admitted it was very hard on the fellow Mumbaikar not making it to the playing XI. The new all-format skipper, however, made sure that the 27-year-old got a look-in as soon as BCCI decided to give Team India regulars Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant a break from the tough bio-bubble and rest them for the T20 leg of the series against Sri Lanka. Also, the absence of KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Chahar provided Rohit the perfect opportunity to try out the fringe players.

Ex-India Selector Names Youngster As "Best Bet" To Take Over Cheteshwar Pujara's Number 3 Slot In Tests

Rohit Sharma's first Test as captain will also usher in a new era for India's middle-order with Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari all set to become long-term replacements of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. It is now clear that Rahane and Pujara won't be called for the three Tests this season (two against Sri Lanka and one away game against England) where Vihari and Gill, along with Shreyas Iyer as back-up, will be the options. There are two vacant spots from the last Test that India played in Cape Town and as Virat Kohli plays his 100th Test at Mohali, the three youngsters will be preparing for a long haul in the spots vacated by the two veterans after having made those their own for a decade.

Team Combination: Gill at No.3, Pant at No.5 and Vihari at No.6 could be way forward

Rohit Sharma's first Test as captain will also usher in a new era for India's middle-order with Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari all set to become long-term replacements of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. It is now clear that Rahane and Pujara won't be called for the three Tests this season (two against Sri Lanka and one away game against England) where Vihari and Gill, along with Shreyas Iyer as back-up, will be the options. There are two vacant spots from the last Test that India played in Cape Town and as Virat Kohli plays his 100th Test at Mohali, the three youngsters will be preparing for a long haul in the spots vacated by the two veterans after having made those their own for a decade.

"Would Prefer Batting At...": Shreyas Iyer Reveals His Ideal Batting Position After 'Player Of The Series' Performance

Shreyas Iyer relishes finishing off games, but, on the back of his excellent run in the T20Is against Sri Lanka, he has expressed his desire to bat at No.3, the place which is normally reserved for Virat Kohli. Shreyas, who got a chance in the side after Kohli was given a bio-bubble rest following the second T20I against the West Indies, cracked three fifties against Sri Lanka to ensure a 3-0 sweep for the hosts.

Watch: Virat Kohli Shares Sneak Peek From Stylish Behind-The-Scenes Video On Twitter

Ex-India skipper Virat Kohli posted a short video on Twitter where he could be seen flexing his muscles during a shoot. The video was captioned "#BTS" as it portrayed the behind the scenes of a shoot that involved Kohli. The video also featured some special effects while Virat focused on the lights and camera in front of him. Kohli wasn't a part of the recently concluded T20I series win against Sri Lanka and was handed a well-needed break ahead of the two-match Test series against the same opponents beginning March 4.

India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli hits the nets after brief breather

Virat Kohli, who is set to play his landmark 100th Test against Sri Lanka at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali, returned to the field on Sunday after a brief break. Kohli, who along with stumper Rishabh Pant landed in the city on Saturday, batted at the nets and later underwent a light training session with the rest of the Test team members. Kohli was last seen in action during the limited overs series against the West Indies. Besides the duo, the Test specialists Ravichandran Ashwin, Hanuma Vihari, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, KS Bharat and rookie left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar also joined in.

Kohli's 100th Test to be played with no spectators due to Covid-19

Superstar cricketer Virat Kohli will play his 100th Test behind closed doors with no spectators because of a coronavirus outbreak in the northern Indian city of Mohali, an official told AFP on Sunday.

India vs Sri Lanka: No crowds for Virat Kohli's landmark 100th Test

Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) on Saturday made it clear that the opening Test between India and Sri Lanka, also slated to be former skipper Virat Kohli's landmark 100th Test, will be held behind closed doors. The BCCI doesn't want to take any chances despite Covid-19 cases on the decline. PCA treasurer RP Singla said that the state cricket association respects the sentiments of the fans, but also has to abide by the BCCI directive due to cases in and around Mohali.

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Virat Kohli Sport News

Rohit Sharma's assurance to super-subs paying off

Ex-India Selector Names Youngster As "Best Bet" To Take Over Cheteshwar Pujara's Number 3 Slot In Tests

Team Combination: Gill at No.3, Pant at No.5 and Vihari at No.6 could be way forward

"Would Prefer Batting At...": Shreyas Iyer Reveals His Ideal Batting Position After 'Player Of The Series' Performance

Watch: Virat Kohli Shares Sneak Peek From Stylish Behind-The-Scenes Video On Twitter

India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli hits the nets after brief breather

Kohli's 100th Test to be played with no spectators due to Covid-19

India vs Sri Lanka: No crowds for Virat Kohli's landmark 100th Test