
Former India leg-spinner Amit Mishra has alleged that then captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble assured him of a return to the national team after an injury in 2017, but that Kohli later stopped responding to his calls and messages. Mishra made the claim during a podcast hosted by Aakash Chopra on Friday, 23 October 2026.

Mishra injured his leg during a T20I against England in Bengaluru in February 2017, his last international appearance. He said Kumble told him he would return once fit, and Kohli said, "You don't worry. Get fully fit and comfortable, and you are there [in the team]." After recovering, Mishra said Kohli promised an update in seven to ten days but never provided one, and ignored his subsequent calls and messages. Mishra said he never received an explanation.
All three outlets report the same core allegation from Amit Mishra, but their framing differs. NDTV and News9 lead with Mishra's claim and attribute it directly, keeping the tone factual. The Times of India uses a more dramatic headline ('huge claim') and foregrounds the ghosting element. No source offers comment from Kohli or Kumble, so the coverage is one-sided. Mishra's point that other players with worse injuries made comebacks is included by two outlets, adding context to his grievance. The story, as reported, leaves Kohli's side unheard.
Coverage: 3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Sources (3): ndtv.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (sensationalist), news9live.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.