Why was Kohli rested for 3rd T20I?

Virat Kohli was rested for the final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday and has also been given a break for the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Kohli was released from the bio-bubble along with wicket-keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar was surprised over the BCCI's selection committee resting Kohli.

Gavaskar felt Kohli should have played one more match as he only found his touch in the last game, the second T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata, where he scored a 41-ball 52 laced with seven boundaries and a solitary six.

'I was surprised because we were discussing about his form of late and then he played a wonderful knock in the last game. It was simply brilliant, those lofted shots over the infield. There were no risks involved in playing shots shots, but he did so he showed he was in good form,' he told the India Today television channel.

The legendary batter then explained that often batters lose their fluency in one single innings when they get stuck at the non-striker's end and hence it was better for Kohli to play the series against Sri Lanka to gear up for the Tests that follows the limited-overs contest.

'For batters, the thing is when you are in good touch it is better to continue playing as long as possible. Because we have often seen that in one single innings, if a batter scored 40 runs briskly, then gets stuck at the non-striker's end for 1 or 2 overs and then when he returns to bat, he tends to lose that fluency,' Gavaskar pointed out.

'Now that Kohli's fluency has returned with that knock in Kolkata, he has been rested that surprised me,' Gavaskar added. 'He could have played one more game. For cricket it would been better as it would gear him up for the Test series.'

Although BCCI's Chief Selector Chetan Sharma did not reveal the reason for Kohli and Pant being rested, but it was earlier reported as a bio-bubble break.

Both cricketers will return for the two Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins from March 4 onwards.