India has been hit with injury concerns just ahead of the first Test in Perth, as star batter Virat Kohli reportedly underwent scans for a mysterious issue. According to the *Sydney Morning Herald*, the 36-year-old former India captain is dealing with an undisclosed injury ahead of the opening Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium, adding pressure to India’s preparations for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Despite the concern, Virat Kohli took part in an intra-squad practice match on Friday at the WACA, providing a glimmer of hope for his readiness. Kohli’s recent form has been under scrutiny, with a noticeable slump this year and no Test centuries, intensifying expectations for him to anchor India’s batting line-up in the series.
In another setback, KL Rahul also suffered an injury scare, having left the field after being hit on the elbow. With Rohit Sharma’s availability uncertain for the first Test, Rahul’s potential absence could further complicate India’s lineup plans.
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Virat Kohli’s record in Australia, however, offers encouragement. His average of 54.08 on Australian soil reflects a history of consistent performances, and he’ll likely draw confidence from his past success to tackle the Aussie bowling attack.
‘Injured’ #ViratKohli undergoes scans in Australia ahead of #BorderGavaskarTrophy: Report
Details 👉 https://t.co/y2cSW22Eo0 #INDvAUS #BGT #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/S8SOKBUy67
— TOI Sports (@toisports) November 15, 2024
India has named an interesting mix of players for this tour, including newcomers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Reddy, who may get their chance to debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Facing a powerful Australian side and coming off a 3-0 series loss against New Zealand, India will need to rise to the occasion if they hope to challenge the hosts in this high-stakes series opener.
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India Test squad for Australia tour
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed
