After the BCCI confirmed Virat Kohli's absence from the first ODI against with an injury, former international Aakash Chopra put out a post that fuelled the speculation that maybe age was catching up with the star batter.

"Neck in January. Knee in February. Not often you see Kohli missing any competitive cricket because of fitness issues. But here we are," Chopra posted on X. The BCCI said Kohli was missing from action "due to a sore right knee".

Kohli rarely misses matches with an injury. He missed Delhi's Ranji Trophy match on January 23 with a neck injury. Between 2017 and 2022, Kohli only missed five one-off matches, twice with a stiff neck. Kohli sets high standards for fitness and diet, which is often attributed to his longevity in the game.

At 36, Kohli remains an indispensable member of the Indian team in the ODIs and Test cricket. He retired from T20s after last year's World Cup win.

India had not played an ODI since August 2024, when they lost a three-match series 0-2 to Sri Lanka. In between, Kohli's form dipped, with only one century and a fifty in 21 Test innings since January 2024. He was dismissed eight times to deliveries outside the off stump in Australia.

With the Champions Trophy approaching, Kohli's struggles to get runs and fitness issues could once again bring retirement talks back on the table. All eyes will be on Kohli when India head to Cuttack for the second ODI on Sunday (February 9).

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