Reports: Virat Kohli proposed BCCI to remove Rohit Sharma as vice-captain due to age
Rohit Sharma will be 35 in April next year.
If reports doing the rounds are to be believed, Virat Kohli, who made his decision to quit as India’s T20I captain post the 2021 T20 World Cup came up with an interesting suggestion. The Indian captain had suggested the BCCI selection committee to remove Rohit Sharma from his position of Team India’s white-ball vice-captain.
The report stated that Virat Kohli wanted KL Rahul to be named Team India’s vice-captain in ODIs while Rishabh Pant in T20Is given that Rohit is 34 years old. Meanwhile, while deciding to step down as T20I captain after the T20 World Cup, the skipper wrote a long post on Twitter.
Virat Kohli mentioned that it was a decision that took him plenty of time to arrive at this decision. In fact, he also consulted India’s head coach Ravi Shastri and Rohit Sharma.
“Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people. Ravi [Shastri] bhai and also Rohit [Sharma], who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I’ve decided to step down as the T20 Captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October.
I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability,” Kohli said.
BCCI insider in the know of development talks about Virat Kohli
“Virat knew that he would have been removed from white ball captaincy. If the team doesn’t do well at the UAE World T20, he was gone for good as far as white-ball leadership is concerned. He just reduced a bit of pressure on himself as it would seem that he is there on his terms. It might not happen for 50 overs if the performance in T20 hits a downward spiral,” a BCCI insider in the know of things was quoted as saying by Cricket Addictor.
The BCCI official, on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the Indian captain Virat Kohli is never available for communication. “In case of MS (Dhoni), his room would be open 24×7 and players could just walk in, play the PS4, have a meal and let their hair down and if required talk cricket… Beyond the ground, Kohli is incommunicado.”
“Rohit has shades of MSD but in a different manner. He takes the junior players out for meals, gives them a friendly pat on the back when they are down and knows the mental aspects of a player’s make-up inside out.”
