'Delhi, we need to talk': Virat Kohli has a special message for his pollution-ridden hometown

Ahead of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, skipper Virat Kohli had a special message for the people of Delhi.

Kohli, who was born and brought up in the capital, raised concerns about the deteriorating air quality in his hometown.

In a video message shared on his social media handles, Kohli spoke about how each and every resident of Delhi can make a contribution in reducing the pollution of the state.

"#Delhi, we need to talk! #MujheFarakPadtaHai," wrote the 29-year-old on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the morning session of the opening Test between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata was washed out on Thursday. There was no let up from rain and the conditions remained overcast because of a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.

The entire Eden Gardens ground remained under thick white tarpaulin cover, while the strip had three layering on it, as it's been raining since yesterday and there is more forecast of rain for next 24 hours because of the system over west- central Bay.

There was a brief hope in the morning as the drizzle had stopped and the cover on the wicket was removed while the groundsmen were pressed into action with four super soppers to drain the water.

It continued for nearly an hour but as the toss time approached, it began to drizzle again and the covers were back on the wicket.

The picture appears grim for the match to start as the Met has forecast "heavy rain at isolated places very likely over Gangetic West Bengal".

The depression over west central Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast moved north northeastwards and lay centred about 80 km east southeast of Visakhapatnam and 210 km south southwest of Gopalpur at 0530 hours

The system is very likely to move further north northeastwards off north Andhra Pradesh Odisha coasts during next 24 hours maintaining its intensity," an IMD bulletin said. The build-up to the India-Australia ODI at the Eden on September 21 had also witnessed rain, but it did not affect the match.

An India-South Africa T20I match in 2015 was abandoned as it rained for 30 minutes before the game was to start.

Sri Lanka are to play their maiden Test at the Eden Gardens.