Indian captain will be available for the test match
Internet Desk: The BCCI Medical Team confirms that Indian Captain Mr. Virat Kohli is presently undergoing treatment to recuperate from a strain in his right shoulder.
Relevant investigations have revealed that there are no serious concerns, which will hamper his speedy recovery from a strain in his right shoulder due to a fall while fielding on Day 1 of the third Test against Australia in Ranchi.
Kohli will continue to receive treatment, which will assist him to participate in the rest of the match.
He was taken to the hospital by the team management after the end of Day 1 of the third Test at Ranchi. According to sources, multiple scans were done on his injured right shoulder.
“The exact status of Virat’s injury will be known by tomorrow morning. He is going to undergo scans later today,” India’s fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar told reporters in Ranchi.
The incident had happened, when Kohli dived to save a boundary of Handscomb. The Indian skipper did manage to save the boundary, but after that brilliant fielding he was seen in serious pain as he rubbed his right shoulder with another hand. Kohli had landed on his right shoulder during his dive to save the boundary on the ropes.
After that Kohli didn’t take any chance and left the field with the Indian physio beside him. His deputy, Ajinkya Rahane took charge of leading the team in Kohli’s absence.
“We took a precaution (in taking him off the field) to make sure that he doesn’t aggravate the injury,” Sridhar said.
In case Kohli fails to take the field tomorrow, he will have to come lower down the order than his usual number four when India.
Asked whether Virat would be able to bat, Sridhar said: “We will answer that when we get the correct status. Let’s cross the bridge when it comes.”
Such was the impact that he had difficulty in standing up and was seen grimacing in pain, clutching his right shoulder to be rushed out of the field immediately.
Sridhar said the ground was hard and sloping in nature.
“It was fast sloping and hard as well. It had all the ingredients of a fast outfield,” Sridhar said.
A gentle flick off the pad from opener Matt Renshaw took the ball easily past the boundary as Australia scored their first runs in four in the first over of Ishant Sharma.
“We saw in the first boundary of the day when Renshaw got past Ashwin. He was trying to catch up but the ball beat him to the boundary line quite easily. That sums up the outfield situation.
“There are some slopes in the outfield and the ball runs hard. We can’t really do much about it. We have to chase the ball. You have to try and dive and cut the ball if you’re anywhere close to it.”
Kohli didn’t looked to be in a lot of pain, as he kept rotating his shoulder while walking off the ground. But the Indian captain didn’t want to take any chances with his fitness, given his importance for the team.
Rahane took charge after Kohli had to walk off the field due to a shoulder injury in the 40th over of Australian first innings.
Steve Smith posted his second century of the series with an unbeaten 117 while Glenn Maxwell was equally solid at the other end with 82 as the visitors took the day one honours.
“Ajinkya did a very good job. He was very sure of his plans. Ajinkya being Ajinkya, he was taking advice from the seniors, Aswhin and Ishant. In Virat’s absence, he kept the energy well. He positioned himself in the outfield and made sure he communicated well with the bowlers,” Sridhar said at the post-match press conference.
“It was probably the better batting day in the series so far. Pitch was nice and placid. It’s not that we are in the situation for the first time during this home season. It was a very good day one batting track. We will see how it unfolds tomorrow,” Sridhar said.
“There were a few good spells from Umesh, he was coming and giving it really hard, getting the ball to reverse a bit.