IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Why Virat Kohli Won't Attend India-England Match Despite Living In London? Reason Revealed

IND vs ENG 3rd Test: As India take on England in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord's, the atmosphere is buzzing with the presence of several iconic names.

From cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to former Australia pacer Brett Lee and even UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Lord's was packed with star power on Thursday. But among the many high-profile attendees, one glaring absence has caught the attention of fans - that of Virat Kohli.

Despite being in London, Kohli is not expected to make an appearance at Lord's. The former India captain, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year, has reportedly chosen to stay away from the action. His presence at a recent Wimbledon match featuring Novak Djokovic and a charity event hosted by Yuvraj Singh had sparked speculation about a potential visit to the iconic cricket ground. However, those hopes were soon dashed.

Dinesh Karthik, on commentary duties for the series, addressed the matter when asked by Michael Atherton whether Kohli might drop in at some point during the Test. Karthik's response put all speculation to rest. "He is near Lord's. That's where he lives. But don't think so. He has daddy duties to attend to," he said.

Kohli resides on St. John's Wood Road - the same street that houses Lord's - making his absence all the more notable. But with a young family, including his four-year-old daughter Vamika and infant son Akaay, the 36-year-old is clearly prioritising life off the field.

The former skipper has been relatively low-key since his retirement from Tests. A report in The Telegraph indicated that Kohli has embraced a quieter lifestyle in London. He even turned down an offer to represent Middlesex in county cricket.

While he did applaud Team India's Edgbaston win on social media and gave a special mention to captain Shubman Gill, Kohli has largely remained away from the spotlight. He is likely to return to action when India resume their ODI commitments, possibly in August during a potential tour to Sri Lanka. Until then, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Kohli back in the thick of things.