Kohli out of fourth test against Australia

CHETAN NARULA

DHARAMSALA, India (AP) — In a major blow to India's hopes of winning the test series against Australia, Virat Kohli was ruled out of the deciding fourth test here on Saturday morning.

The India skipper had sustained a right shoulder injury when fielding on day one in the third test at Ranchi.

Kohli missed 400 minutes of Australia's first innings but was able to bat in his usual No.4 spot in India's first innings. He then fielded at slip during Australia's second innings in a bid to not aggravate his bruised shoulder.

Kohli arrived in Dharamsala this past week under an injury cloud. He didn't train on Thursday, and on Friday, 24 hours before the game, he only took batted against light throw-downs, indicating he could be missing his first test for India since November 2011.

"I will only take the field if I am a hundred per cent fit for the game. That is the only condition. This rule applies for everyone in the team, and it is the same for everyone," Kohli had said in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

Ultimately, he ran out of time to get fit for the final test of India's home season.

Kohli had been in strong form with the bat, scoring 1457 runs in his past 13 Tests leading up to this series. In that period he averaged 80.94 and scored five hundreds — four of which were double hundreds — against West Indies, New Zealand, England and Bangladesh.

In this series, however, he has scored 0, 13, 12, 15 and 6 in five innings, totaling only 46 runs at an average of 9.20.

Even so, India will miss his energy and exuberance on the field, not to mention his ability to change the game with a bat in hand. Ajinkya Rahane now becomes India's 33rd test skipper.

"He did a good job in Ranchi (when Kohli was off the field). He is more chilled out and not as emotional (as Kohli)," said Steve Smith in his pre-match conference on Friday.

The four-match series is level at 1-1. Australia won the first test in Pune by 333 runs, while India won the second test in Bengaluru by 75 runs. The third test in Pune was drawn.