India vs Australia: Virat Kohli Being Treated For Shoulder Injury, No Serious Concerns

In what will come as a massive relief for the Indian cricket team and it's fans, the BCCI confirmed late on Thursday that Virat Kohli is undergoing treatment to recuperate from a strain in his right shoulder and that there are no serious concerns. The Indian captain had to walk off the field on Thursday when he injured his right shoulder while fielding the post-lunch session on Day 1 of the third Test between India and Australia in Ranchi. The injury, as it turns out, was bad enough to keep him off the field for the entire post-lunch session and he did not take the field even after the tea break, with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane doing the captain's job.

"The BCCI Medical Team confirms that Indian Captain Mr. Virat Kohli is presently undergoing treatment to recuperate from a strain in his right shoulder," the BCCI said in a statement.

"Relevant investigations have revealed that there are no serious concerns, which will hamper his speedy recovery from a strain in his right shoulder due to a fall while fielding on Day 1 of the third Paytm Test against Australia in Ranchi."

"He will continue to receive treatment, which will assist him to participate in the rest of the match," the statement added.

NEWS ALERT - Captain Virat Kohli recuperating from shoulder strain. Relevant investigations have revealed that there are no serious concerns pic.twitter.com/v5tgdZlKHx

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 16, 2017

Kohli, never one to take the foot off the accelerator in whatever he does on the cricket field, went full tilt after a ball headed for the boundary off the first delivery of the 40th over of the Australian first innings, shortly after lunch.

"The exact status of Virat's injury will be known by tomorrow morning. He is going to undergo scans later today," India's fielding coach Ramakrishnan Sridhar told reporters in Ranchi.

"We took a precaution (in taking him off the field) to make sure that he doesn't aggravate the injury," Sridhar said.

"It was quite an intense chase to the boundary line. In his intent to save that one run, he stopped the ball but landed on his right shoulder when he rolled over. The impact was quite heavy because of the momentum he was carrying and there was a shock on his right shoulder," he added.

Kohli dived full length in his failed effort to stop the ball and landed heavily on his right shoulder.

Oh dear! Virat's in a spot of bother. Landed awkwardly chasing down the ball. Ajinkya will stand-in for him as he takes a break #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/JCZzbeK6sX

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 16, 2017

As soon as he got up, it was evident he was in trouble. Physio Patrick Farhart rushed on to the field and escorted the skipper off. The ice pack was immediately applied to the right shoulder and it was on for a considerable period of time.

While Kohli did don his whites again, he did not take the field after tea as well.

In Kohli's absence, Australia piled on the runs with captain Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell stitching together an unbeaten 159-run stand as the visitors ended Day 1 on 299 for four.