India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed during the toss that Kohli sustained the right knee injury during practice on Wednesday evening, leading to his exclusion from the playing XI. However, BCCI’s official statement mentioned only a sore right knee, indicating that the injury is not serious.
Kohli was later seen on the field with a kneecap support, participating in warm-up drills with his teammates, further confirming that he might not need an extended break.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya was rumored to have been taken to the hospital on Wednesday night due to stomach pain, but the Indian team management did not confirm these reports. Eventually, Pandya was included in the squad, while Kohli had to sit out.
In Kohli’s absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal made his ODI debut, along with Harshit Rana, while Mohammed Shami returned to the squad. Despite speculation, spinner Varun Chakravarthy did not get his ODI debut, though skipper Rohit hinted that he could play later in the series.
India will be hoping for Kohli’s swift return as they continue preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
