INDIA vs NEW ZEALAND: Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be not be part of team in final two ODIs of the ongoing five-match series against New Zealand and the subsequent T20I series, as he is being rested the BCCI announced.

In a statement to the media BCCI said,

“India Captain Virat Kohli will be rested for the fourth and fifth ODI against New Zealand and the subsequent T20I series. Considering his workload in the last few months, the team management and Senior selection committee is of the view that it would be ideal for him to get adequate rest ahead of the home series against Australia.”

“There will be no replacement for Mr. Kohli in the squad for the New Zealand series. Rohit Sharma will captain the side in the final two ODIs and T20I series.”

BCCI is carefully monitoring Kohli's workloads since the start of 2018, resting the captain for the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in March, India's one-off Test against Afghanistan in Bangalore in June, the Asia Cup in the UAE in September and the home T20Is against West Indies in November.

The Indian captain recently won all the top-three honours at the ICC Awards for 2018, winning the Cricketer of the Year as well as the ODI and T20I Player of the Year..

Kohli has played 14 of the 15 Tests India played since the start of 2018 and leads the charts with 1345 runs. In the same period, Kohli is also the top-scorer with 1400 runs in 18 ODIs.

While there will be no replacement named for Kohli, Vice Captain Rohit Sharma will lead the side in the Hamilton and Wellington ODIs before the succeeding three-match T20I series that begins on February 6.

-Sai Kumar