MUMBAI: India’s bumper 13-Test home season has taken a big toll on its players with a host of them set to miss at least part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with injuries.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will be without captain Virat Kohli for at least the initial phase of the Twenty20 tournament as the India skipper recovers from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the series-sealing final Test win over Australia in Dharamsala.

“His [Kohli’s] recovery will be assessed in the second week of April to determine an exact return to play date for IPL 2017,” the BCCI said in a statement.

South African A.B. de Villiers will lead the side in Kohli’s absence.

Bangalore, who have already lost Australia paceman Mitchell Starc to injury, will also be without Lokesh Rahul for the entire tournament, with the India opener likely to undergo surgery on his left shoulder.

Rahul’s India opening partner Murali Vijay, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, will undergo wrist surgery and is expected to miss the April 5-May 21 tournament.

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will sit out the entire campaign for Rising Pune Supergiant as he recovers from groin pain, the BCCI said.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2017