The star cricketer Virat Kohli joined the Indian cricket team camp in New York ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, May 21. The former skipper joined the team five days later and is expected to miss out on the team's only warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday.
After guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to IPL 2024 playoffs, Kohli sought extended break and did not travel with Indian team for the World Cup in the USA and West Indies. Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue arrived in New York on Tuesday (May 28) while vice-captain Hardik Pandya joined the team on Wednesday and straightway started practice.
"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 according to a PTI report. It also adds that the former team captain will get three next sessions before India's opening game against Ireland on June 5.
Meanwhile, India held an optional training ahead of their warm-up game against Bangladesh on Friday. Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Mohammed Siraj participated the optional session and the latter two are expected to feature in the starting eleven against Bangladesh.
India's preferred batting order will be under focus as the fans will be curios about Virat Kohli's role. The RCB stalwart made a sensational impact as an opener in the IPL 2024 by scoring runs at a strike rate of over 150 and registered the second-highest 38 sixes.
The 35-year-old star demonstrated a never-seen-before aggression to shut the criticis over his selection to the T20 World Cup. Former cricketers and pundits have also tipped the management to start Virat Kohli as an opener in the upcoming tournament.
Apart from Kohli's role, the fans are expected to get an idea on India's first-choice wicketkeeper during the Bangladesh game. Both Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant made impressions in the recent IPL with the former narrowly beating the Delhi Capitals skippers in terms of stats and teams' standing in the league.
