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SpORTS DECEMBER 17, 2021 | The Indian Eye 44

Men in blue

the story behind the end of virat Kohli’s

captaincy of white-ball team

Rohit Sharma was also named as India’s Test vice-captain as the All-India Senior Selection Committee

picked an 18-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa

OuR BuREAu Wassan reckons it is a good move
as the Mumbai Indians’ skipper has
Mumbai
proved his mettle in the Indian Pre-
pening batter Rohit Sharma mier League (IPL).
was on Wednesday named “I don’t think it is the removal of
oIndia’s new ODI skipper and Virat. Virat himself has consciously
the star player will take over from Vi- realized that he cannot lead all three
rat Kohli starting the South Africa se- formats. He was struggling and every
ries in January next year. “The All-In- player goes through this bad patch.
dia Senior Selection Committee also He has set such high standards for
decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as himself that even 40s-50s are not
the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams counted but he also expects a lot
going forward,” BCCI said in a state- from him,” Wassan said.
ment. “I said many years ago that it is
not right for any country, any team
the board of Control for Cricket that all three formats are led by one
guy. Rohit has shown that he is a
in india (bCCi) president Sourav good leader. He has got IPL crowns
Ganguly on thursday said the but Virat hasn’t. Maybe Virat will
also find his second gear and second
board and selectors together wind and it augurs well for Indian

took the call to appoint rohit Rohit Sharma cricket,” he added.
The former Indian cricketer said
Sharma as the full-time white- captaincy is a burden for a player
ball captain of the side. Ganguly but Kohli has enjoyed his stint as the
skipper of the side.
also informed that he and the “I think it comes into the holis-

chairman of selectors had also tic view of it. If you see that in some,
we lost big tournaments and in world
spoken to Kohli. the former in- cup also it is a big issue. Perhaps Vi-
dian skipper also thanked Kohli rat and Shastri were cornering the
authority also So, BCCI probably
for his contributions in the lim- wants to clip their wings also. This

ited-overs format. has been happening,” said Wassan.
Former India cricketer Kirti
Azad also supported the decision of
“It’s a call that the BCCI and the All-India Senior Selection Com-
the selectors took together. Actually, mittee of appointing Rohit Sharma
the BCCI had requested Virat to not as the team skipper for the ODI &
step down as the T20I skipper but T20I teams going forward.
obviously, he did not agree. And the Kirti Azad said, “Well change
selectors then did not feel it right to Virat Kohli is constant. This happens Rohit has
have two different captains for two been doing well and Virat had said
white-ball formats,” Ganguly said. that he wanted to be away from the
“So, it was decided that Virat will rat will continue as the Test captain. nior Selection Committee picked an captaincy in limited-overs. So, the
continue as Test captain and Rohit We as BCCI are confident that Indi- 18-member squad for the upcoming right person to get into his place is
will take over as the white-ball cap- an cricket is in good hands. We thank three-match Test series against South Rohit Sharma.
tain. I as President personally spoke Virat Kohli for his contributions as Africa. That’s a call by the selectors. Vi-
to Virat Kohli and the chairman of captain in the white-ball format,” the Former India cricketer Atul rat wanted it but selectors thought
selectors has also spoken to him. BCCI president added. Wassan feels Virat Kohli has realised that Rohit Sharma should come in
“We have full faith in Rohit Rohit was also named as India’s that he cannot lead Team India in all and that’s about it. I don’t find any-
Sharma’s leadership abilities, and Vi- Test vice-captain as the All-India Se- three formats. thing wrong with it.”

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