India skipper Virat Kohli has been the backbone of his side through a long home season, but now his inclusion for the fourth and final Test against Australia, here tomorrow is doubtful
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli. Pic/ PTI
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Dharamsala: India skipper Virat Kohli has been the backbone of his side through a long home season, but now his inclusion for the fourth and final Test against Australia, here tomorrow is doubtful. Kohli injured his right shoulder on Day One of the third Test in Ranchi. Yesterday, he skipped the team’s nets session at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium.
As it appears, the injury now is somewhat severe. Speaking during the pre-match conference today, Kohli said he will play tomorrow only if he passes the fitness test.
“It will be a few hours before I take the final call on my fitness. Hopefully, tonight or tomorrow morning the team physio therapist will discuss the outcome of my fitness test. As a captain I obviously want to push myself and play, but if I am not 100 per cent fit, I will not play and that has been the rule of every member of this team,” Kohli said.
“The series is very interestingly poised and whether I play or not, it is an opportunity for the other guys in the team to perform well as they have throughout the series,” he added.
Kohli hurt his shoulder landing heavily while stopping a boundary in Ranchi. Elaborating on his injury, Kohli, who has accumulated only 46 runs in the ongoing series, said: “It’s an impact injury and not a fitness injury, so you can’t prepare for these things. While batting there’s no scare of aggravating it, but while fielding and throwing, there could be limitations which again the physio will assess tonight or tomorrow morning.”