Virat Kohli may miss remaining Tests against England

The Indian team management may to forced to plan the entire five-match Test series against England without Virat Kohli. It is learned that India's most prolific batter is not likely to come back for the remaining three Tests due to personal reasons.

TOI had reported on February 3 that the selectors and team management wanted to check one more time with Kohli if he was willing to make himself available to play any part of the series.

It seems Kohli has made it clear that he needs to be with his family and won't be available for the next two Test matches in Rajkot and Ranchi.

However, it is unlikely that he will be back for the last Test match in Dharamsala too.

"Kohli had asked for leave from mid-February. Three days before the first Test, he conveyed to the BCCI that needs to take an early leave. The board has always respected his decision," a BCCI source told TOI.

1/10:2nd Test: India beat England to level series

Reuters

2/10:Jasprit Bumrah

<p>Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took a match haul of nine wickets to lead India's 106-run win over England in the second Test on Monday and level the five-match series. </p>Reuters

3/10:Zak Crawley

<p>Chasing a record 399 for victory, England were bowled for 292 in the second session on day four in Visakhapatnam, despite an attacking start and Zak Crawley's 73. </p>Getty Images

4/10:3 wickets each

<p>Bumrah and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took three each in the final innings and the pace spearhead bowled Tom Hartley to complete the win. </p>IANS

5/10:​Shubman Gill

<p>Shubman Gill set up the comeback victory for India with his 104 on day three to set England, who won the opener, a daunting target. </p>IANS

6/10:Bazball

<p>England came out swinging with their "Bazball" brand of cricket, Crawley and company hitting boundaries despite losing wickets. </p>AFP

7/10:Axar Patel

<p>Left-arm spinner Axar Patel broke through when he trapped Rehan Ahmed lbw for 23, after the nightwatchman hit five fours in his 31-ball knock. </p>ANI

8/10:Ravichandran Ashwin

<p>Ollie Pope hammered five boundaries in his brief stay at the wicket, before Ashwin had him caught at slip by captain Rohit Sharma on 23. </p>ANI

9/10:​Joe Root

<p>Joe Root fell for 16 while attempting a slog off Ashwin, who remains one away from entering the 500-wicket club. </p>PTI

10/10:Kuldeep Yadav

<p>The chase soon lost steam with two wickets in five balls before lunch, including Crawley out lbw off left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. </p>PTI

2nd Test: India beat England to level series

Given how vulnerable India's middle order has looked, the board thought it would be wise to check on Kohli one final time. The selectors are unlikely to make any major changes for the next three Test matches. Rajat Patidar is likely to get a longer run.

It will be interesting to see if the team management sticks with Shreyas Iyer or wants to test the uncapped Sarfaraz Khan. Iyer's Test record has been good at home.

The team management will have to think it through if it wants to have two raw batters - Patidar and Sarfaraz - in the Test playing XI.

1/10:India vs England: Bumrah, Bazball and spin

ANI

2/10:India level series with thumping win

<p>India beat England by 106 runs in the second Test in Visakhapatnam on Monday to level the five-match series 1-1.</p>AFP

3/10:'Bazball' is winning fans in India

Ben Stokes's team took a thrilling opening Test by 28 runs after overcoming a 190-run first innings deficit then went down guns blazing in a record 399-run chase in the second.PTI

4/10:Bumrah's perfect yorker

<p>Stumps flew all over the place as Bumrah bowled Ollie Pope with a trademark yorker in the second Test.</p>PTI

5/10:Jasprit Bumrah masterclass

<p>Jasprit Bumrah's mastery of new ball and reverse swing saw him take a first innings 6/45 as England were all out 253, a deficit of 143. </p>Reuters

6/10:​Bumrah - an absolute champion of a bowler

<p>Stokes paid tribute after Bumrah bagged three more in England's chase to be named man of the match. "Jasprit Bumrah's an absolute champion of a bowler," said Stokes.</p>AFP

7/10:Ollie Pope special

Ollie Pope's masterful 196 in Hyderabad featured sweep shots of both orthodox and reverse varieties to blunt the Indian spinners and the crowd rose to applaud as England inflicted only the fourth home defeat on India in 47 Tests.PTI

8/10:Nervy moments for India

India had some nervy moments in winning the second Test as England came out roaring in their fourth-inning chase, with Zak Crawley hitting 73 and almost all the batsmen taking on the bowlers.AFP

9/10:England spinners challenged India batters

<p>England's rookie spinners Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed may have only six Test caps between them but they have all challenged India's batters, who are usually masters on turning pitches.</p>PTI

10/10:Tom Hartley on a roll

<p>Raw left-armer Hartley had match-winning figures of 7-62 on debut in Hyderabad and he took four more in India's second innings in Visakhapatnam. His 14 wickets are just one behind Jasprit Bumrah in the series bowling charts.</p>PTI

India vs England: Bumrah, Bazball and spin