IND vs SA 2022-23, Indore T20I: Virat Kohli rested from the dead rubber

Former Indian skipper and top-order batter Virat Kohli has been rested from the third and final Twenty20 international (T20I) against South Africa at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Tuesday. After the series-clinching victory at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, Kohli was flown back to Mumbai on Monday morning.

"He [Kohli] has been rested from the final T20I," a BCCI official was quoted. After the last game against the Proteas, Kohli will be linking up with the Indian side in Mumbai, whereon the squad is scheduled to depart for Australia on October 6 for the T20WC. The former Indian skipper hammered an unbeaten 49 off 28 deliveries on Sunday, with the hosts winning the second T20I by 16 runs, taking an inviolable lead in the three-game series.

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The last time Kohli was rested was during the away Ine-Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is against the Windies, while questions were asked on the decision as he was going through a lengthy grey patch then. He took a month off from the sport and refrained from touching his bat during the break, a first for Kohli in 10 years by his admission.

However, Kohli is back to his best and has been cutting valuable knocks for the team since the Asia Cup 2022 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month, scoring a much-awaited century after nearly three years. Shreyas Iyer, drafted into the side following Deepak Hooda's injury, will likely take Kohli's spot. Since the Asia Cup, Kohli has gathered 404 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 141.75, including three half-centuries and a ton.

(With inputs from PTI)