BCCI source lets out reason behind Virat Kohli's omission

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced the squad for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe.  As expected most of the senior players have been rested for the tour.

However, there were speculations that Virat Kohli will return to the field against Zimbabwe with an eye to getting some runs under his belt. Kohli opted out of the West Indies tour to enjoy time off the field. It is learnt that the selectors also wanted Kohli to be a part of that tour but he made himself unavailable. He is now likely to return for the Asia Cup later next month.

While announcing the squad, the selectors did not state the reason why the 33-year-old was not picked in the squad but a source close to BCCI said that Virat has conveyed his message to the selectors.

“Virat (Kohli) had spoken to selectors that he would be available from the Asia Cup onwards. The first team players will hardly get rest from Asia Cup till end of World T20. Hence this is a two-week window after Windies tour when they can rest,” a source close to BCCI was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

In the recently concluded tour of England, Kohli couldn't score a half-century in matches across all formats. The Indian stalwart has been struggling with the bat for a while now, and his current form has been a subject of concern and debate among cricketers and fans alike.