Injured Kohli in doubt for decider

India captain Virat Kohli is in serious doubt for the series-deciding Test against Australia in Dharamsala, beginning Saturday.  

Kohli is racing against the clock to recover from the shoulder injury he sustained on day one in the third Test in Ranchi and will be given until the 11th hour to prove his fitness.

The India skipper was adamant that if he is not 100 per cent fit he will not take the field for the fourth Test with series deadlocked at 1-1, with uncapped batsman Shreyas Iyer to link up with the squad as a back-up.

“When we put these things in place the first thing I said was 'I’m not different from anybody else',” Kohli said on Friday.

“The same process applies for me as it does all the other members of the team.

“There’s no special treatment for anyone.

“If I’m 100 per cent fit for the game is the only condition that I will take the field.

“The physio wants to give it a bit more time till I can test myself and will probably make a call on it later tonight or tomorrow before the game.

“We’ll have to give it that much time more for me to make that call with the physiotherapist.

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Kohli faced a handful of gentle throwdowns with no pads today in the HPCA Stadium nets before he spent the rest of the session as a spectator talking to his teammates.

He later returned in full protective kit for a nets session under the watchful supervision of team physiotherapist Patrick Farhart.

The main obstacle Kohli must hurdle is fielding.

When he went off in the 40th over on day one in Ranchi he did not return to the field in the remaining 89 overs of Australia’s first innings while in the second innings he stood at first slip and barely handled the ball.

“At this stage the injury has an element of being aggravated in the field,” he said. “While batting there’s no problem whatsoever of it getting aggravated.

“I’ve taken medication after last game so I’m hoping it takes some more time for me to get back to the normal movements I have (when fully fit).

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Kohli says passing a rigorous fitness Test, most likely tomorrow morning, will determine his participation in the winner-takes-all match at the foot of the Himalayas.

“That (fitness test) is full match scenario; playing against 140kph bowling, reactive movements in the field, (and) whether I can move as well as when I’m 100 per cent or not,” he added.

Kohli’s absence would be a huge blow for the series hosts despite the right-hander averaging only 9.2 in five innings in the series to date, however the skipper remains confident his players can rise to the challenge and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy if he fails to recover in time.

“I’m sure the guys will take it as an opportunity to still take the team ahead,” Kohli said.

“Everyone is really proud and motivated to play for the country.

“Me playing or not playing shouldn’t make that much of a difference to the other 10 guys because they have a responsibility to fulfil as well.

“I have not done anything special so far but still the guys have fought it out and that’s why we’re the No.1 team in the world.

“We have quality players in the side who want to step up given these opportunities.

“If that happens I’m sure the guys are looking at it as the game-changing game of their lives.”

Test Squads

India (for fourth Test): Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandaran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Shreyas Iyer

Australia: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Stephen O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade

Australia's schedule in India

Feb 23-27, First Test, Pune – Australia won by 333 runs.

Mar 4-8, Second Test, Bengaluru – India won by 75 runs.

Mar 16-20, Third Test, Ranchi – match drawn.

Mar 25-29, Fourth Test, Dharamsala