India's Kohli to miss T20 opener against Afghanistan

Star India batsman Virat Kohli will miss the first of three internationals against Afghanistan due to "personal reasons", coach Rahul Dravid said Wednesday.

Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma both returned to the T20 squad after more than a year's absence for the series starting Thursday in Mohali, as the teams prepare for the T20 World Cup in June.

"Virat Kohli will miss the first game due to personal reasons," Dravid said at a press conference.

"He will be playing from the second and third T20."

Kohli and Rohit last played a 20-over international in November 2022, when India lost to England in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

The second T20 will be played in Indore on Sunday with the final match in Bengaluru on January 17.