The Indian cricket has been marred with controversies in the recent past and it all started with Rohit Sharma being appointed as the skipper of the Indian ODI team and the vice-captain of the Indian test squad. Though there were talks of rifts between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli earlier as well, it got stronger after there were reports that Virat Kohli asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to let him take a break after the test series against South African because of which he would not be available for the 3-match ODI series which India will play on the South African tour. Rohit Sharma was already ruled out of the 3-match test series on this tour as he has suffered hamstring injury but reports about Virat’s break gave enough fodder to mediapersons and people from the cricket fraternity to talk about the tension in the Indian dressing room.
Things got so complicated that Virat Kohli had to come forward in order to clear the air and on 15th December just before the departure of team India to South Africa, he attended a virtual press conference. On being about the rift between him and Rohit Sharma, Virat says that he has been tired of saying it for more than 2.5 years that there is no problem between him and Hitman. He also makes it clear that whatever he does, he will never do anything which will be disadvantageous for the team.
Talking about the rumours as per which he will not play in the ODIs as he is taking break, Virat Kohli says that he has never asked the BCCI to give him break, adding that he was and he is always available for the selection as he is very much interested in playing in the ODIs. He tells the mediapersons to ask questions regarding this to those people or sources who have been writing about it and are not credible at all.
Virat Kohli also added that he was called by the selectors around one and a half hour prior to the selection of the test team for South Africa. He said that after they discussed about the test squad, just before ending the call, he was informed that the five selectors have taken the decision that he won’t be leading the team in the ODIs anymore. Virat Kohli cleared it that it was the first time he was informed about the decision of the ODI captaincy and there was no communication earlier in this regard.
Talking about his desire to lead the team in the ODIs even after leaving the T20Is captaincy, Virat Kohli stated that the decision of quitting the T20I captaincy was taken in a good manner by the BCCI and it was called a progressive step. As per him, he informed the board that he would like to lead the team in the remaining two formats – ODIs and tests but he also made it clear to the board that he is fine if they feel like appointing another person as the skipper in his place.
India will play its first test match against South Africa from 26th December and the 3-match ODI series will start from January 19. Earlier India and South Africa were also slated to play 4 T20Is but now they have been rescheduled for next year.
Hopefully, all the rumours and controversies will get quashed now.