India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli hits the nets after brief breather | Cricket News – Times of India

Former India skipper Virat Kohli, who is set to play his landmark 100th Test against Sri Lanka at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali, returned to the field on Sunday after a brief break.
Kohli, who along with stumper Rishabh Pant landed in the city on Saturday, batted at the nets and later underwent a light training session with the rest of the Test team members. Kohli was last seen in action during the limited overs series against the West Indies. Besides the duo, the Test specialists Ravichandran Ashwin, Hanuma Vihari, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, KS Bharat and rookie left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar also joined in.

The PCA had on Saturday announced that the opening Test will be played behind closed doors, while the second Test, which incidentally is a day-night affair will be open for crowds at 50 per cent capacity in Bengaluru. The PCA is also gearing up its preparations to felicitate the legendary batsman during the first Test.
After the series-winning second T20I against the Caribbean side in Kolkata, both Kohli and Pant were given a 10-day break, following which they left the Indian team’s bio-bubble. They were rested for the three-match rubber against Sri Lanka.

Both Kohli and Pant have played most of the games from the start of the South Africa tour.
Kohli has so far played two Tests, 6 ODIs and two T20 Internationals since the start of the away tour against South Africa. He had missed one Test match due to back spasm and played all the games since the third Test in South Africa.

Pant, on his part, played three Tests, six ODIs and two T20 Internationals and was also in need of a bubble break having constantly played post his two-Test break against New Zealand in early December.
The rest of the Indian Test team led by skipper Rohit Sharma is expected to land in Chandigarh on Monday after completing their limited overs assignments.