"Virat Kohli isn't playing.."- Brendon McCullum's sensational revelation

England coach and Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum has said that he is disappointed that big names such as KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Virat Kohli are not a part of India’s squad for the second Test. KL Rahul and Ravindran Jadeja have been ruled out because of their respective injuries. This is a big body blow to India as the team has lost two of their most important players with Virat Kohli already out of the second Test.

Team India announced their updated squad on Monday and added Washington Sundar, Sarfaraz Khan, and Saurabh Kumar as reinforcements. Ravindra Jadeja suffered a hamstring injury on the fourth day of the first Test in Hyderabad, while KL Rahul complained of pain in his right quadriceps muscles.

Brendon McCullum was asked about how he felt playing against a weakened Indian team to which he replied that it was disappointing. He said that he wanted to play against the best and, unfortunately, the Indian team has lost such big names. McCullum has asked his team not to get complacent as India has an incredible talent pool to pick from.

“Obviously, Jadeja and KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, he is obviously not playing the next game as well. You want to play against the best. But it’s disappointing for the Indian side. But they have also got an incredible talent pool to pick from,” said Brendon McCullum.

Brendon McCullum Says That He Will Give Attention To The Second Test After Reaching Vizag

Sarfaraz Khan and Saurabh Kumar received their maiden call-ups to India after performing in domestic cricket for years. One among them can walk into the playing XI on February 2 too. McCullum said that he hadn’t thought about the Vizag Test yet and was enjoying his experience in Hyderabad. He added that he wasn’t going to take any calls on the game before seeing the track.

“We will enjoy where we sit at the moment and lap up the great experience we have had over the last few days and tomorrow we will travel to Vizag and once we get there, we will start to turn our attention to that game,” Brendon McCullum said.

Brendon McCullum was handed the role of coaching the Test side of England in 2022 and since then he has introduced Bazball in England’s Test mindset which is an aggressive approach to playing attacking cricket in Test matches. England has not lost a Test series since Bazball was introduced to England’s Test side. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum form a deadly coach and captain duo and have taken England cricket to loads of success in the red-ball format.

England won the first Test by 28 runs in Hyderabad and will now play the second Test at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vishakhapatnam. India is yet to lose a Test series at home since their defeat against England in 2012 where they were defeated 2-1 by the Alastair Cook-led side. India will hope to win the second Test and then win the series in the remaining three Tests to maintain their unbeaten streak.