Don’t write off champions: Nathan Lyon on Kohli’s recent batting slump
The Australian team must be hoping to take advantage of Virat Kohli’s prolonged batting slump when the two sides clash in the five-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy
Recovering from a shoulder injury, India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday missed the start of day two proceedings on the field as his deputy Ajinkya Rahane led the team against Australia in the third cricket Test here.
Kohli, however, was seen joining his teammates at the warm-up before the start of play and had a long discussion with coach Anil Kumble and selector Devang Gandhi.
The 28-year-old also had a light warm-up session but was mostly seen in conversation with the coach.
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With Australia 132/3 in 39.1 overs, a grimacing Kohli had departed the field clutching his right shoulder on Thursday after he landed awkwardly near the mid-on boundary rope while diving to save a Peter Handscomb boundary.
A scan later in the evening revealed a "strain" but a BCCI statement said there was "no serious concern" and "he will continue to receive treatment, which will assist him to participate in the rest of the match".
His absence from the field, however, would not affect his number four batting position as this was an external injury.
According to the ICC's playing conditions, if a player is absent from the field for longer than eight minutes, the player, "shall not be permitted to bat unless or until, in the aggregate, he has returned to the field and/or his side's innings has been in progress for at least that length of playing time for which he has been absent or, if earlier, when his side has lost five wickets."
However, the clause does not apply if the player has suffered "an external blow (as opposed to an internal injury such as a pulled muscle) whilst participating earlier in the match and consequently been forced to leave the field.
Nor shall it apply if the player has been absent for very exceptional and wholly acceptable reasons (other than injury or illness)."
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