New Delhi: Virat Kohli has arrived in Australia before the rest of the Indian players for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy scheduled to begin in Perth on November 22. The star Indian batter reached the Western Australian city before everyone else, touching down the Australian shores Sunday evening, two weeks before the start of the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
While Kohli landed in Perth on Sunday, the rest of the Indian team is set to join the Delhi dasher on Monday. The team is expected to start training for the gruelling five-match series on Tuesday.
The modern-day great, who is going through a lean patch in red-ball cricket, was earlier spotted at the Mumbai airport on Saturday with his wife, Anushka Sharma, and the kids. The video of his departure to Perth went viral on social media platforms where he got miffed with the paparazzi for taking pictures of his children.
Kohli arrives in Perth but no clarity on Rohit Sharma
While Kohli has reached Down Under well ahead of the team members and the coaching staff, Rohit Sharma’s availability in the opening Test is still unclear. There is no news on whether the India captain will travel with the remaining team, who is set to leave for Australia in two batches.
Earlier, reports suggested that Rohit is likely to miss the opening Test at the Optus Stadium due to the birth of his second child, but head coach Gautam Gambhir, who attended a pre-departure press conference on Monday, didn’t give any clarity on Rohit’s availability.
Gambhir said that the team management will take a call on Rohit closer to the first Test match. In case he misses out, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who is the vice-captain for the Australia series, will lead the Indian team in Perth.
Meanwhile, Kohli would be eager to bounce back from a terrible run of form in Australia – his happy hunting ground. Kohli has scored six centuries Down Under and would aim to replicate his past performances on Australian soil in the upcoming five-match series.
Kohli could only manage 93 runs in the recently concluded home series against New Zealand, who whitewashed Rohit Sharma’s men 3-0.
Virat Kohli has reached Australia well ahead of the team members and the coaching staff, Rohit Sharma’s availability in the opening Test is still unclear. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
