Virat Kohli, the renowned Indian cricketer, is set to make a highly anticipated return to T20 International cricket after more than a year. However, his comeback has been delayed as he is confirmed to miss the first T20 against Afghanistan in Mohali due to personal reasons.

The year 2023 was significant in Kohli's career, marked by his achievement of a century in Tests after a four-year gap and securing his 50th ODI century. Despite these accomplishments, Kohli chose to step away from T20 Internationals for over a year, with his last appearance in November 2022 during the T20 World Cup semi-final.

Speculations and questions about Kohli's future in international T20 cricket had been circulating, but the cricketing maestro, along with Rohit Sharma, decided to make a comeback six months prior to the 2024 T20 World Cup.

India's coach Rahul Dravid addressed the media, stating that Kohli will miss the first match due to personal reasons but will play in the second and third T20. Dravid emphasized the importance of managing player workload, attributing the rest to the packed international schedule with multiple ICC events in recent years.

Kohli enthusiasts will have to wait until the second T20 in Indore on January 14 to witness his return to the shortest format, with the third T20 scheduled in Bengaluru. This delay in Kohli's return has sparked controversy and raised questions about his T20 World Cup participation.

Overall, the delay in Virat Kohli's return to T20 International cricket has generated significant interest and speculation among cricket enthusiasts, and his eventual comeback in the upcoming matches will be eagerly awaited.