Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has pointed out the conspicuous absence of Virat Kohli’s dynamic presence in the ongoing Test series against England. Kohli, the former Indian captain, withdrew from the series citing personal reasons after initially being named in the squad for the first two Tests.

Although Kohli traveled with the team to Hyderabad for the opening Test, he pulled out just before the match commenced. This trend continued, with Kohli being ruled out of the subsequent matches as well. It was only recently that Kohli disclosed the reason for his absence, revealing the joyful news of the birth of his second child, a son named Akaay, with his wife Anushka Sharma.

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Currently, the couple is reportedly in London, celebrating the newest addition to their family. Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized that Kohli’s absence is not only felt in terms of his batting prowess but also his infectious energy on the field. Kohli’s ability to galvanize both his teammates and the crowd has been sorely missed, particularly evident during England’s strong start on day two of the Ranchi Test.

“Virat Kohli brings that energy to the field which is missing currently. He involves the crowd and gets them going as well,” remarked Sanjay Manjrekar.

In the ongoing Test, England managed to post a respectable total of 353 runs in their first innings. Despite a shaky start, a resilient partnership between Joe Root and Ben Foakes stabilized England’s innings, with Root ultimately scoring a commendable century, remaining unbeaten on 122.

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While Kohli continues to be absent from the Test series, cricket enthusiasts can look forward to his return to action next month during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli is slated to lead the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 17th edition of the IPL, which is set to commence on March 22. RCB will kick off their campaign against the reigning champions, Chennai Super Kings, in what promises to be an exhilarating encounter.