After pulling out of the initial two Tests against England citing personal reasons, star batsman Virat Kohli will be missing the next two Tests at Rajkot and Ranchi respectively. The reason for his absence remains unknown. There have been various speculations and misinformation regarding his personal life.
Ever since former South African captain AB de Villiers in a video on his YouTube channel shared that Virat Kohli is expecting a second child, social media has been abuzz. Fans have even started to congratulate the power couple on their handles. Interestingly, Kohli’s availability for the remainder of the Test series has become a hot topic of national discussion.
While the star batter and BCCI have requested privacy, rumour mills were busy as speculations widely arose of Kohli’s mother’s ill health. His brother Vikas later confirmed on social media that the news was false and Kohli’s mother was fine. Fans were speculating the reason behind Kohli’s absence that too in a home series and the batsman had been in exceptional form of late. Kohli’s ex-RCB teammate then stirred the pot stating that Kohli is soon becoming a father and is prioritizing what’s important for him.
The latest report from Dainik Jagaran however confirms that de Villiers had lied about Kohli’s parenthood.
“I prioritize family above all, as mentioned in my previous YouTube video. I also regret spreading false information during that period, which was entirely untrue. My main concern is what’s best for Virat and his family. The details of the situation are unknown to me. My only action is to extend my best wishes to him,” de Villiers said making a U-turn from his previous statement.
“Everyone around the globe who follows Virat and appreciates his cricket should simply hope for his well-being. Whatever the cause of this break, let’s anticipate his return, stronger and better,” he concluded.
India has not yet revealed their squad for the upcoming third Test in Rajkot, set to commence on February 15. Reports are suggesting that Kohli may be absent not only for the third Test but also for the fourth.