Virat Kohli injured? India great missing from BCCI fitness report, Rohit Sharma named; Shreyas Iyer's comeback confirmed

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released its crucial fitness update ahead of the national selection committee's meeting to pick the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand. While the report confirms the return of vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, the notable absence of Virat Kohli has stunned one and all.

BCCI Fitness Report: The Key Takeaways

As reported by Jagran New reporters, the BCCI released the fitness test report on January 2 and confirmed that a strong core of players is fully fit and available for selection, as the national selectors are all set to name the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

The report confirmed that Rohit Sharma is fully fit and available for selection. Additionally, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar have also cleared the fitness test.

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Apart from them, the wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna have all been declared fully fit and available for selections ahead of the New Zealand series.

BCCI Fitness Update Stuns Fans: Virat Kohli's Name Missing

But the absence of Virat Kohli’s name from the report stunned everyone, as he was firing all the guns in his recent outings in the 50-over format both for India and Delhi at the Vijay Hazare Trophy. There was no mention of Kohli in the fitness update, but his name was available in the list of players available for selection for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

भारतीय टीम के चयन से पहले की फिटनेस रिपोर्ट (दो जनवरी) ...

रोहित, गिल, यशस्वी, ध्रुव जुरैल, केएल राहुल, ऋषभ पंत, जसप्रीत बुमराह, रवींद्र जडेजा, अक्षर पटेल, वाशिंगटन सुंदर, कुलदीप यादव, मोहम्मद सिराज, शिवम दुबे, अर्शदीप सिंह, तिलक वर्मा, ऋतुराज गायकवाड़, हर्षित राणा, नीतीश कुमार…

— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) January 3, 2026

In September 2025, Kohli underwent the fitness test in London, where he has lived with his family since last year, and it seems that the former Indian captain was once again allowed to go through the same process by the BCCI. And that’s why his name did not appear in the list.

Kohli has always been one of the fittest players in the world. He has never failed a compulsory fitness test in his career. The dashing right-handed batter changed the way fitness is seen in the Indian team and set the example for everyone through his hard work, clean diet, regular training, and strong discipline. Fitness became a big priority in the Indian team, all thanks to Kohli.

Why Hardik Pandya Will Play Only Two Vijay Hazare Trophy Matches

Another important update is related to Hardik Pandya. The Indian all-rounder is set to return to action in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Keeping the 50-over format in focus, the Indian cricket team management felt Hardik has not bowled enough in recent times.

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So, they asked Pandya to roll his arm for Baroda in the premier white-ball tournament. However, to carefully manage his workload, the Indian all-rounder will play only two matches in the tournament. Even in those games, Hardik will bowl limited overs as part of a controlled plan aimed at keeping him fresh while preparing for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Good News for India as Shreyas Iyer Passes Key Fitness Test

There is also positive news for Shreyas Iyer, who is recovering at the NCA after a severe spleen injury that he sustained on the Australia tour. India’s ODI vice-captain successfully completed his first 50-over Right to Play match on January 2, 2026. This was an important milestone in his return journey.

Shreyas is now set to play his second Right to Play match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 6. After that appearance, the Indian middle-order batter will undergo the final fitness test, which will decide his readiness for the national selection.