Team India faced an injury scare during practice for the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. Star batter Virat Kohli was seen sporting a knee bandage. This has fuelled speculation over an injury. However, his movement on the field indicated that it was not something grave.
Kohli did his bit of fielding drills and ran without any visible discomfort. The 36-year-old also batted against pink balls in the nets, getting ready for the all-important Test. Still, the team management will not take a call lightly. They can’t afford to lose the experience of Kohli with the record he has at Adelaide.
Adelaide: Virat Kohli’s Hunting Ground
Kohli’s statistics at the Adelaide Oval are simply phenomenal. In eight innings, he has scored 509 runs at an average of 63.62. For the former skipper, the venue has been a fortress. His tally includes three centuries, and he’s just one ton away from surpassing England’s Jack Hobbs for the most Test centuries by a visiting batter at this ground.
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Kohli is also equally impressive with the pink ball. He made an unbeaten 136 against Bangladesh in India’s first-ever day-night Test in 2019. This is still the only century by an Indian in a pink-ball Test. Thus, if Kohli gets injured before the Pink Ball Test, it would be a huge setback for the Indian Team.
Team India Ready for Pink Ball Test
Kohli’s fitness is currently under watch. However, the team has been bolstered by the return of skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Gill has recovered from a thumb injury that happened before the First Test.
Rohit Sharma, however, had a relatively quiet outing against the Prime Minister’s XI. Batting at No. 4, the first time he was to be out of his comfort zone opening role, he scored just three runs off 11 balls. It would be interesting to see whether he returns to his favourite slot for the Adelaide Test.
India, fresh off a six-wicket victory in the warm-up match, will now shift focus to the pink-ball Test starting Friday. Kohli’s health remains a key talking point, and his full fitness could significantly impact India’s chances.
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