Warm-up game: Kohli advised rest after feeling back stiffness, medical team monitoring Rahane's hamstring

Durham [UK], July 20 (ANI): The reason behind India skipper Virat Kohli missing the ongoing warm-up game against County Select XI is because he has been advised rest after he felt stiffness in his back late on Monday evening, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed on Tuesday.
Also, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has mild swelling around his left upper hamstring which has been addressed by an injection. He is also not available for the three-day warm-up game.
"Captain Virat Kohli felt some stiffness in his back on late Monday evening and he has been advised rest from the three-day first-class warm-up game by the BCCI Medical Team," the BCCI said in a statement.
"The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him (Rahane), and he is expected to fully recover well in time for the first Test against England starting from 4th August at Nottingham," it added.
India cricketers Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan were picked in the playing XI for the County Select XI for the three-day warm-up game in Durham.
BCCI said ECB made a request to the Indian team management to let two players from the Indian contingent play for County Select XI after some of their players were deemed to be unavailable either due to injury or close contacts of a Covid-19 positive person.
Meanwhile, in the ongoing game, the Indian players are wearing black armbands to mourn the demise of former India cricketer Yashpal Sharma, who passed away on July 13 after a cardiac arrest. Head Coach Ravi Shastri was his teammate in the 1983 World Cup-winning squad.
Last week, it was confirmed that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant tested positive for Covid-19 and as a result, he is not available for this match. Throwdown specialist cum masseur Dayanand Garani also tested positive, and Wriddhiman Saha was asked to isolate as he was a 'close contact. This has seen KL Rahul coming in as the wicketkeeper.
The three-day match is being played behind closed doors, but it is being streamed on Durham's YouTube channel. (ANI)