“But there’s no doubt that India, and the series, will miss him”: Naseer Hussain on Virat Kohli missing the first two Tests against England.

Nasser Hussain has extended his best wishes to Virat Kohli after the prominent batsman opted out of the initial two Tests against England. The ex-England captain emphasizes the importance of acknowledging both Kohli and Harry Brook’s decision to abstain from matches for personal reasons.

Brook, withdrawing from all five Tests, received privacy considerations from the ECB in a statement on Sunday, while Kohli’s choice to skip the initial two matches prompted a statement from the BCCI on Monday.

Hussain (Daily Mail) wrote “My first thought is that we wish Virat well. Like Brook, he’s taken a step back for personal reasons, and everyone in the game should respect that. Some things are more important than cricket.”

Despite Kohli’s absence, Hussain anticipates an impact on the series due to the former Indian captain’s recent stellar performance, especially during the challenging South Africa tour.

With a notable average of just over 40 and accumulating 1,991 runs in 28 Tests against England, Kohli’s prowess has left a void, providing England with an early advantage, according to Hussain.

“But there’s no doubt that India, and the series, will miss him. He’s also been in great form, and his absence from Thursday’s first Test at Hyderabad and next week’s second at Visakhapatnam deprives fans all over the world from watching a genius at work,” he added.