Kohli returns to training in London, thanks GT’s assistant coach for help

Amidst ongoing speculation over his future in international cricket, talismanic India batter Virat Kohli has returned to training in London and expressed gratitude to Gujarat Titans’ assistant coach Naeem Amin for help in an indoor practice session.

“Thanks for helping out with the hit, brother. Always lovely to see you,” Kohli wrote in his Instagram story, sharing a photo of him with Amin from the session. “Good to see you, brother! See you soon,” Amin said, resharing the story on his account.

Amin runs the Mighty Willow Academy in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and London, and was previously with the Sunrisers Hyderabad coaching staff in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Previously, India’s fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya had come to Amin’s academy for quality practice sessions.

Having retired from both Tests and T20Is since June 2024, Kohli’s focus is now solely on ODIs for India and the Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Kohli, who has 14,181 runs in 302 ODIs, last played competitive cricket when he struck a match-winning 43 in the IPL 2025 final, helping RCB finally lift their maiden trophy after beating Punjab Kings by six runs in the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Fans will have to wait until October 2025 to see Kohli back in action, as India are not scheduled to play any ODIs before then. India were scheduled to play three ODIs in Bangladesh in August, but the series has been postponed to September 2026 by mutual agreement between BCCI and BCB.

Both Kohli and Rohit Sharma - who have also stepped away from Tests and T20Is - are expected to return for the ODI leg of India’s white-ball tour of Australia, starting on Oct. 19 at Perth Stadium, and are followed by matches at Adelaide Oval and Sydney Cricket Ground on Oct. 23 and 25, respectively.

Meanwhile, less than a year after a much talked about reunion with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), veteran off-spinner Ravichandran is likely to enter the mini auction ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after parting ways with the five-time championship winning side.

Sources tracking the development have confirmed to IANS on Friday that Ashwin is indeed moving on from CSK, a franchise who he represented from 2008-2015 and became a two-time IPL winner. “It’s all but certain that he will be released by CSK whenever retention dates are announced. He will be only entering the auction pool,” further said the sources.

Indo-Asian News Service