Virat Kohli will miss the England Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi

Nonetheless, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, who were absent from the second Test in Vizag, are both expected to be available as they recover well.

The senior Indian batsman Virat Kohli is expected to miss the third and fourth Tests in Rajkot and Ranchi, respectively, extending his absence from the England series. There are still questions regarding Kohli's availability for the fifth Test in Dharmasala, which begins on March 6. The selectors will take this into account when they meet this week to choose the India team for the remaining three Tests, according to information obtained by ESPNcricinfo.

Three days before the England series commenced, on January 22, the BCCI declared that Kohli had withdrawn from the first two Tests due to "personal reasons". In order to join the Indian team, Kohli had flown into Hyderabad that same morning, but he left the same day. The BCCI released the following statement regarding Kohli's absence: "Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention." The BCCI has not returned to this statement.

Jadeja and Rahul are vying for Rajkot

Mohammed Siraj, one of the players who missed the second Test, is expected to return after taking a precautionary break. At the NCA in Bangalore, KL Rahul, who missed the first Test due to a quad strain, and Ravindra Jadeja, who hurt his hamstring in the first Test, are having their fitness assessed.

Although the NCA physio's final report is still pending, ESPNcricinfo has learned that both players' prognosis is favorable. India are hopeful that, assuming both Jadeja and Rahul receive fitness clearance, at least one of them—if not both—will be available for the match, even though the third Test is not scheduled to begin for another week.

Despite not reaching hundreds, India's top batsmen in the first Test were Rahul and Jadeja. Rahul took over the No. 4 spot that was left empty by Kohli, and his comeback would strengthen the middle order, which lacked experience in Vizag.

Siraj is returning for the third Test

Siraj is the only confirmed returnee for the Rajkot Test. Due to workload constraints, the fast bowler was rested for the second Test after bowling 11 overs in the first Test loss at his home ground of Hyderabad.

The bowling lineup, which depended on Jasprit Bumrah's skill to win the second Test, will benefit from Siraj's return. Bumrah, the only bowler in the world to have topped the ICC rankings across all formats, recovered from a stress fracture in his back beginning with the World Cup in 2018. The team management will have to take his workload into account, but he should play in the Rajkot Test on Thursday.

India rallied in Vizag to tie the five-Test series 1-1 after losing the first Test, their only home loss since the beginning of 2013. Prior to the final Test, which begins on March 8 in Dharamsala, the next two Tests will be played back-to-back.