After whitewashing Sri Lanka in the recently-concluded three-match T20I series, India will now be hosting the Islanders for a couple of Tests scheduled to be commencing on March 4, the first of which will be played at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. The match will be held behind closed doors. The contest marks the special occasion for two of the country’s modern-day Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
While Rohit will be leading the Indian team for the very first time in Tests, Virat Kohli playing a Test match for India for the 100th time in the series-opener. At the same time, this will also be his first Test as non-captain having relinquished from the position after losing the away Test series against South Africa in January.
Ahead of the memorable occasion, it was business as usual for the batting megastar as he sweat it out in the nets. Taking to the micro-blogging site, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had posted a few images on their official Twitter handle of the Indian team practicing ahead of the series opener.
ALSO READ: S Sreesanth Recalls The Story Of His Brilliant Outswinger To Darren Ganga
In a collage shared by the BCCI, Virat Kohli was seen sweating it out in the nets with his bat. In the other image, the former skipper is supposedly having a team discussion with the likes of Hanuma Vihari, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Agarwal, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, etc. In the last couple of images, pace spearhead Bumrah and senior offie Ravichandran Ashwin were seen involved in bowling practice.
T20Is ✅
Preps begin for the Tests 👍👍#TeamIndia | #INDvSL | @Paytm pic.twitter.com/SR1VkACfCW
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2022
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2022
Virat Kohli was originally supposed to play his 100th Test match during the series-deciding third Test against South Africa at Cape Town in January. However, after suffering an upper back spasm, he missed the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg as a result of which the current limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul was named India’s stand-in captain for that contest.
ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma Buys Lamborghini Urus Donned With India’s Jersey Color
Even though fans will not be present to witness the iconic moment in Mohali, the 33-year-old would be eager to make his bat do the talking as they wait for his 71st international century prolongs.
