NEW DELHI:
Virat Kohli
, India's top batsman, reached New York on Friday to join his team for the upcoming
T20 World Cup
. His arrival comes five days after the rest of the Indian squad landed in the city.
However, there is still uncertainty surrounding Kohli's participation in the warm-up match against Bangladesh, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
"Virat Kohli has checked in at the team hotel and after a long flight, he would be taking rest," a senior
BCCI
source confirmed his arrival.
After a lengthy 16-hour journey to reach the 'Big Apple', Kohli's involvement in the practice match will hinge on his personal inclination and readiness to face the Bangladesh team at the
Nassau County Cricket Ground
.
With an impressive tally of 741 runs in 15 IPL matches, Kohli's need for additional match practice is minimal. Moreover, he is scheduled to participate in three high-quality net sessions prior to the opening encounter against Ireland on June 5.
Friday morning saw an optional training session, during which
Rinku Singh
, Shivam Dube, and Mohammed Siraj put in the hard yards under the watchful eyes of the support staff.
The team management and the BCCI have a history of granting special considerations to Kohli regarding his joining the national squad. In a previous instance, he was allowed a break before the South Africa Test series, arriving in the "Rainbow Nation" only to depart for the UK due to personal matters before eventually rejoining the team.
Kohli prioritized family over cricket earlier this year when he opted out of the entire Test series against England at home to be present for the birth of his second child.
As the Indian team prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the players have been arriving in batches. The first group landed on May 25, while the second contingent reached on May 28.
Although Kohli has been absent from three training sessions so far, the team management remains unconcerned. They acknowledge that the legend knows his stuff and his routines won't be tinkered with, demonstrating their trust in Kohli's ability to prepare himself adequately for the tournament.
(With PTI inputs)
English (US) ·