'Maybe he might not play IPL as well' - Sunil Gavaskar comes up with tongue-in-cheek remark on Virat Kohli's absence

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has wittily responded to Virat Kohli's absence from international cricket of late. Kohli, currently spending time with his family in London, skipped the ongoing Test series against England. The 74-year-old, humorously remarked that the star India batter might even miss the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

The 35-year-old cricketer, along with wife Anushka Sharma, recently welcomed their second child, Akaay. Kohli is slated to return to action for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2024. The Bengaluru franchise kicks off against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on March 22. Kohli's absence from international cricket adds a peculiar twist to his upcoming IPL season with RCB, which will be his 17th with the same franchise on the trot.

"Kya voh khelenge? Kuch reason ke liye khel nahi rahe hai, shaayad ho sakta hai ki IPL ke liye bhi na khele (Will he play? He isn't  playing due to certain reasons, maybe he might not play in IPL as well)," Gavaskar said as quoted by Times of India.

Also Read: 'He wouldn't ask for leave without any reason' - Jay Shah on Virat Kohli's absence from England Test series

Jurel could be the superstar after this performance in the Test matches: Gavaskar

The former Indian opener spoke highly of Dhruv Jurel's impressive contribution after filling in for KS Bharat in the playing XI during the third and fourth Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi. Jurel, showcasing remarkable form, notched scores of 46, 90, and 39* in his initial three innings as far as Tests are concerned. Gavaskar proposed that Rajasthan Royals (RR) could think about moving Jurel up in the batting order, tipping him to emerge as a potential sensation for his IPL franchise this season.. Jurel's impressive performances have caught the attention of cricket pundits and IPL team strategists alike.

"He could be promoted up the order. Jurel could be the superstar after this performance in the Test matches. Even Akash Deep could get more exposure in RCB and play the role of the death-over specialist which they were missing last season,” Gavaskar added.

Also Read: Virat Kohli spotted having adorable lunch date with daughter Vamika in London