Suspense Around Virat Kohli’s Absence From Team India In NYC Ends; Ex-Skipper Spotted At Mumbai Airport: Watch

While the entire Indian cricket team has reached New York and is training hard for the 2024 T20 World Cup, there has been one notable absentee in the form of Virat Kohli. The former Indian captain was not part of either the first or second batch of players to depart for New York.

Earlier, it was widely expected that Kohli would fly with the team to American shores on May 25 with the first batch after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) elimination from the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 22. While the majority of the players, including skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, flew to the USA, Kohli was absent. The second batch of players, which included players from the second qualifying round and the IPL final, left on May 27, but the Indian cricket legend was still not spotted with the team. Several reports had attributed Kohli’s absence to ‘incomplete paperwork.’

With each day passing there was some worry among fans over Kohli’s absence from the team with each member of the 15-member squad in New York alongside all four reserve members players. However, Indian supporters can breathe a sigh of relief as Kohli is set to fly to USA tonight.

On Thursday (May 30), the former Indian cricket team captain was spotted at the Mumbai airport as he looks set to take the flight.

Watch here

However, Kohli’s participation in India’s sole warm-up game is still under major doubt, as he is likely to land in The Big Apple only hours before the match is set to start.

For those unversed, Rohit & Co. will face Bangladesh in their only practice match on Saturday (June 1) at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

India will play their tournament opener against Ireland on June 5 at the same venue.