India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s stunning revelations regarding a clear lack of communication from BCCI and selectors, it raises the question, will the chairman of the selection committee Chetan Sharma clear the air? Follow India vs South Africa Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
The gap in communication between cricketers and the selection committee members isn’t new. Right from Sunil Gavaskar’s time to the time during Sourav Ganguly, all accused the BCCI office-bearers and the selectors of communication gap. Amit Mishra suffered during MS Dhoni’s time while Karun Nair suffered the same fate during Kohli’s captaincy.
India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s revelations, will chief selector Chetan Sharma open up on communication gap?
Right now, Virat Kohli is the victim of the same treatment. Despite BCCI office-bearers including President Sourav Ganguly saying he personally requested Kohli not to step down from T20I captaincy, the Test captain said, he never received such a call.
Furthermore, Virat Kohli added that it was only 90 minutes before the selection meeting for the Test team selection that he received a call from Chetan Sharma. He was informed about the decision to remove him from ODI captaincy on December 8.
“I was contacted one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting on the 8th December for the Test series. There was no prior communication to me at all since I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the 8th of December, where I got a call before the selection meeting. I was never told not to give up T20I captaincy,” Virat Kohli said at a virtual Press Conference on Wednesday.
India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s revelations, will chief selector Chetan Sharma open up on communication gap?
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, last week, that he had personally requested Virat Kohli not to step down from T20I captaincy.
“It’s like I said… I personally requested him (Kohli) not to give up T20 captaincy. Obviously, he felt the workload. Which is fine, he has been a great cricketer, he has been very intense with his cricket. He has been captained for a long period of time and these things happen. Because I have captained for a long period of time; therefore, I know,” Ganguly said.
InsideSport raises these three questions:
1. Why was the most revered cricketer of this generation Virat Kohli not informed in advance about change in ODI captaincy?
2. Why send a mixed message to the media?
3. Why did the BCCI need to wait nearly 24 hours after firing him from ODI captaincy to acknowledge his achievements?
4. Why not clear the air on Virat Kohli’s alleged request for taking a break during South Africa ODI tour?
India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s revelations, will chief selector Chetan Sharma open up on communication gap?
💬 💬 @ImRo45 and Rahul Dravid have my absolute support: @imVkohli #TeamIndia #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/jXUwZ5W1Dz
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 15, 2021
Virat Kohli has already narrated his version of what happened during the last one week.
1) Did he leave the ODI captaincy or was he asked to leave?
Virat Kohli’s verdict:
“I was told by the five-member selection committee that they have decided not to continue with him as ODI captain. I replied, “Okay fine.”’
“I got in touch with the BCCI. I had made it clear that I want to continue as ODI and Test captain unless the selectors and office bearers feel that I should not continue this responsibility. The final decision is always on their table, My communication with BCCI is always clear.”
India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s revelations, will chief selector Chetan Sharma open up on communication gap?
2) Is all okay between him and Rohit Sharma?
Virat Kohli’s verdict:
“Rohit is a very good and tactical captain both for India and IPL. Both Head coach Rahul Dravid and Rohit will have my full support. There’s no problem between me and Rohit and I am tired of clarification. My motive is always to perform the best and take Indian cricket to the next heights. I wish him a speedy recovery for the South Africa series.”
Three Big Questions Virat Kohli answered during PC:
3) Will he play in ODI’s in South Africa?
Virat Kohli’s verdict:
“I am always available for selection for ODIs against South Africa and keen to play. All the sources were rubbish. The question should be asked to those who are writing about such lies and their sources because as far as I am concerned, I am always available. I have had no such communication with the BCCI to say that I want to rest. So, there are few things that came out in the past as well where it was said that I was attending some events or something which was absolutely not true either. All these people who are writing these things and their sources to be they are absolutely not credible.”
India Tour of South Africa: After Virat Kohli’s revelations, will chief selector Chetan Sharma open up on communication gap?
