IND v ENG, 1st ODI: Big blow for Team India as Virat Kohli suffers groin injury

File image (Source: Twitter)

Former India captain and India's premier batsman in ODI cricket Virat Kohli has suffered an injury and is likely to miss the first ODI of the three-match series against England on Tuesday at the Kennington Oval, London. Virat suffered a groin injury during the third T20I on Sunday. 

I can watch this shot whole day #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/FovjldNnBQ

— Lokesh Saini (@LokeshVirat18K) July 10, 2022

"Virat has a groin strain during the last game. It can't be confirmed whether it happened during fielding or while batting. He will probably miss the first ODI tomorrow at Oval as the groin needs rest," a BCCI source told PTI.

Virat did not come for optional practise on Monday ahead of the first ODI match at Kensington Oval, London. As per ANI's sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he has a suspected groin injury and is unlikely to play the first ODI. The source further stated that a medical test was conducted and it was found that the Virat has sustained mild strain.

The former skipper could manage scores of only 11 and 20 in the fifth and final Test against Edgbaston and continued his bad performances in T20Is, where he could score only 12 runs in two innings. Also, Kohli had a sub-par IPL 2022, in which he could score only 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a sub-par strike rate of 115.98. He could score only two half-centuries in the tournament. Following the series against England, Team India will be squaring off against the West Indies for a three-match ODI series and five-match T20I series, from July 22.

The Men in Blue will be going forward without the services of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant in the ODI series against West Indies. These players might play in the T20I series, to prepare for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup.