Virat Kohli, the star batsman for India, has arrived in Perth ahead of the November 22 first Test match against Australia. The 36-year-old arrived in India on Sunday after departing with his family on Saturday night. Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and other Indian cricket players boarded the flight on November 10; other cricket players, including Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, along with other coaching staff, will depart on Monday, November 11. The Indian players will depart in batches.
Aside from those who are already in Australia for the India A games, Kohli was the first Indian cricket player to arrive in Perth. As India prepares for a pivotal series in which a spot in the World Test Championship is at stake, he will be eager to get back into the zone after struggling to get runs in the series against New Zealand at home. The team management, according to Gautam Gambhir, is focused on securing the series in Australia rather than on the Rohit Sharma-led squad’s requirement for a 4-0 victory to secure their place in the summit match.
“Virat Kohli has already arrived in Perth after departing ahead of the two batches. The second group of players departs today, and the first group is already en route,” a source was cited by TOI.
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According to rumors, the team will begin practicing at WACA Ground on Tuesday, November 12. While it may be an optional exercise for the second batch, it is anticipated that the players who left in the first batch will join Kohli for the session.