Kohli fitness review in mid-April

NEWDELHI: Over the years, Indian players have powered the popularity of the Indian Premier League, but the brand could be tested as six current national players won’t start the campaign due to fitness issues.

Injured India skipper Virat Kohli is unsure when he will be ready to lead last year’s finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 10th edition, which gets underway in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The Indian cricket Board’s medical bulletin on Saturday showed the struggle of the players at the end of a fruitful but draining 13-Test home season.

Off-spinner R Ashwin of Rising Pune Supergiant was ruled out of the tournament on Friday due to sports hernia, which first flared up ahead of the final Test against England in Chennai.

Kohli, who hurt his right shoulder while fielding in the third Test against Australia at Ranchi and sat out the Dharamsala game, is undergoing rehabilitation. The impact batsman, who carried RCB to the final with a flurry of big innings, will be sorely missed by the team as will be India opener KL Rahul.

Kohli’s recovery will be assessed mid April before a date is set for his return, the BCCI release said. Rahul will be out for the entire season as he will undergo surgery for a left shoulder injury that has dogged him.

Kings XI Punjab will miss the other opener, Murali Vijay, who too is set to miss the entire season. Vijay, who turned 33 on Saturday, will have surgery on his right wrist and rehabilitation on a troublesome left shoulder.

Spinner Ravindra Jadeja has soreness in his spinning finger, after a successful season in which he ended as Man-of-the-Series against Australia. He will miss Gujarat Lions’ first two matches.

Umesh Yadav, outstanding through the season, too will miss the first two games for KKR due to hip/back soreness.

But franchises are not amused by the India team management’s decision to give players rest. “It will definitely affect the brand value, but we have to live with it,” an IPL official said. A former top IPL official added: “If it is injury it is fine, but what is rest?”

But, Mumbai Indians will be happy that Rohit Sharma is back to lead the former champions.

However, no India player missing IPL games due to injury will lose money. A top BCCI official told HT: “Those who are playing for India will not lose any money as their salaries, including IPL ones, have been insured, provided they have been injured while playing for India.”