'Get fit, you're there': Ex-India star recalls Virat Kohli's unfulfilled comeback assurance

A former Indian cricket revealed that both head coach Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli had pledged his comeback to the national squad in 2017 following a serious injury setback. Regrettably, those commitments never materialized into reality.

File Photo of Virat Kohli

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Amit Mishra’s international career with India ended in a way no player expects. His last appearance was a T20I against England in 2017, cut short by a leg injury. Mishra believes that injury changed everything. He’s still convinced he could have played more for the national team if things had gone differently. What really stung for him wasn’t just missing out—it was the promises he got from Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli. Both assured him he’d get another shot as soon as he recovered but after he was fit again Kohli didn’t even answer his calls or messages.

He opened up about all this on the podcast Baith & Bol, talking with Aakash Chopra. Mishra recalled how in Bangalore, after getting hurt, he turned to Kumble. "I got my leg injured during that time in Bangalore. And when I was leaving after getting injured, Anil Kumble was the coach. So I told Anil Bhai, I said, 'Anil Bhai...'. He said, 'Don't worry. As soon as you get fit, you automatically... you will come back,'" Mishra said.

Things got tricky when Kohli became captain. Mishra asked him what he needed to do to return. "Then, Virat Kohli became the captain after this. I also asked Virat Kohli, I said, 'Brother, what needs to be done?' He said, 'You don't worry. Get fully fit and comfortable, and you are there [in the team],'" he added.

Once Mishra was healthy again, he tried to follow up with Kohli. He was told to wait about a week to ten days for a reply, but every time he reached out, nothing happened. "So, I went to him. I asked, 'Brother, what's the situation?' So he said, 'I will let you know in a week to ten days.' Then brother, one week passed, two weeks passed, three weeks passed, there was absolutely no update from him. I called him... so, he did not pick up the call. I messaged him, but there was no reply," Mishra said, clearly frustrated that Kohli didn’t keep his word.

He ended up feeling ignored. Mishra pointed out that other players got injured for even longer stretches and, as soon as they were fit, came right back into the squad. He never got the same treatment. Mishra said, "I called again, he did not answer. I called twice more, still nothing... so I also let it go. Then I thought, 'Brother, what can we do?' When someone does not want you, what can you do? When players who got more severely injured than you, and were injured for much longer, made their comebacks... yet, I have never received any answer to this day."

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