India skipper Virat Kohli in all likeliness will be rested during the home series against Sri Lanka. According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, Kohli, who has been named as skipper for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka might miss the final Test match followed by the ODI matches.

Kohli has been playing non-stop cricket and with the tough South Africa tour coming up, the national selectors are keen to balance out the workload on the India skipper.

"Virat has played the maximum cricket in the world in the last one year. So he needs some rest at some point," a BCCI official said.

The official further went on to quash media reports that Kohli had written to the selectors asking for some rest. The official insisted Kohli had "not asked" to be rested but the decision to rest the skipper was like resting any other player, according to the team's workload management policy.

"The rotation is for everybody including him [Kohli]," he said.

More than the workload, Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri have fixed their eyes on winning overseas. India have never won in South Africa and this time the No.1 Test team would like to change the equation.

"They firmly believe they will win [the] South Africa series and they want to be fully prepared. The BCCI will support and whatever they ask we will help out," the board official said.

Kohli himself has said that some "key batsmen" would "definitely" be rested ahead of the important tours to England, South Africa and Australia in 2018.

"How much ever fitness you do, everyone needs rest. Everyone needs time to come back from training," he said.

Although the board official confirmed that Kohli will be rested, chief selector MSK Prasad told another website that the Indian skipper will play all the three Tests.

"There is no confusion and Kohli is available for all the three Test matches against Sri Lanka. We will look at resting him after that. He too deserves rest and the rotation policy will be applicable even for the skipper," he said.

BCCI president CK Khanna said that the call would be taken at the right time by the concerned people. "It is too early to say anything. The decision will be made by the selectors led by MSK Prasad and the acting secretary," Khanna said.