World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli opts out due to personal reasons as Team India travel to Thiruvananthapuram for 2nd Warm-up fixture

The Indian cricket squad has touched down in Thiruvananthapuram, but a notable absence has left fans speculating. Star batter Virat Kohli, a key figure in the Indian team, has been granted leave by the team management due to a personal emergency. He hastily departed from Guwahati to Mumbai and is anticipated to rejoin the squad in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Rumours have been swirling in the media, suggesting that Kohli and his Bollywood celebrity wife, Anushka Sharma, might be expecting their second child, following the birth of their daughter Vamika three years ago.

A reliable source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Kohli's departure for personal reasons, assuring fans that he will return to the team shortly. In accordance with a Cricbuzz report, the source stated, "Virat will rejoin the team soon." The remainder of the squad made their way to the picturesque Kerala city, embarking on a four-hour flight via a specially arranged aircraft on Sunday evening.

Team India arriving in Thiruvananthapuram:

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Cricket team arrive at Trivandrum Domestic Airport ahead of the World Cup scheduled to be held between October 5 to November 19. pic.twitter.com/LH1Ra5FhpW

— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2023

Rain playing spoilsport as the World Cup 2023 beckons

As the team descends upon Thiruvananthapuram for their second warm-up encounter against the Netherlands, inclement weather appears to be tailing them, persisting from the extreme east to the southern region. The initial preparatory match against reigning world champions England was a washout, with not a single delivery being bowled, leaving some apprehensions that the impending fixture may meet a similar watery fate.

Rain has already played spoilsport in three matches thus far, with two of them occurring in Thiruvananthapuram, specifically the clash between South Africa and Afghanistan on September 29. The Australia-Netherlands showdown on September 30 was truncated to a 23-over showdown but couldn't reach its conclusion. In the meantime, New Zealand and South Africa are slated to lock horns on Monday, setting the stage for India's showdown with the Netherlands on Tuesday.