"Let him play for England."
The reported decision to allow Virat Kohli to undertake his mandatory fitness test in London, where he currently resides, has sparked a debate among fans.
Meanwhile, the rest of his teammates assembled at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
While a host of senior Indian players, including ODI captain Rohit Sharma and Test captain Shubman Gill, underwent a series of fitness evaluations on August 29 in Bengaluru, Kohli was the only player not present.
The former captain, who has retired from Test and T20I cricket, was reportedly granted “special permission” to complete his assessment in the United Kingdom under BCCI-approved supervision.
According to Dainik Jagran, a BCCI source suggested that Kohli must have taken prior approval to prove his fitness in London.
The fitness tests, which a majority of the players have reportedly cleared, focused on assessing recovery patterns and basic strength.
However, the news of the exemption for Kohli has not been universally well-received by Indian cricket supporters. The perceived “special” treatment led to sharp criticism on social media.
One person wrote on X: “Why do we even need him in Indian team when he is living in London? Let him play for England.”
Another user commented: “Virat Kohli does fitness tests in London, spends off-seasons in London, lives more there than in India… at this point he looks more like an English cricketer with an Indian jersey.”
On the other hand, some fans did not see the problem with Kohli undertaking fitness tests in the UK.
One person wrote: “Virat Kohli has given his fitness test in London.
“Fans were waiting for his arrival in India for test. Now his haters will target him for even this thing.
“I expect BCCI should release a press statement on the reason for Virat Kohli’s Test being conducted in London.”
The Indian team has been on a month-long break following their five-match Test tour of England, which concluded in early August.
Their next assignment is the Asia Cup in the UAE, which will be played in the T20 format starting September 9. India’s campaign begins a day later against the host nation.
Kohli is expected to rejoin the national side for the white-ball tour of Australia later in 2025, where he could feature in the three-match ODI series.
The extensive list of players who participated in the fitness assessments in Bengaluru included Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and numerous others. The group comprised players from across formats and included both established names and rising talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Arshdeep Singh.
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