BCCI using “Corporate-Style Pressure” on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to force retirement

Former Indian cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh has raised eyebrows over the treatment of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the current setup. He slammed the BCCI, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and head coach Gautam Gambhir for sacking Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain.

Ramesh believes that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are under immense pressure from the current Indian cricket team management despite being named in the ODI squad for the upcoming Australia tour. India will play three ODIs in Australia from October 19.

Sadagoppan Ramesh criticizes Rohit Sharma’s removal, compares BCCI to corporate office

On Saturday, October 4, Shubman Gill wasappointed as India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. It was a surprising decision given India’s triumphant ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign under Rohit’s captaincy.

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Additionally, Shreyas Iyer was named India’s vice-captain in the ODI cricket. Following the shocking announcement, Ramesh compared the Indian team management’s approach to corporate tactics, where employees are subtly pressured to resign without being directly removed.

He has reckoned that the BCCI and the national selectors are creating a stressful environment at the side rather than openly sidelining the former Indian captains.

They are putting extra pressure on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma: Sadagoppan Ramesh

Sadagoppan Ramesh said in a video on his YouTube channel, “Though we can be happy that Rohit and Virat are back, they are putting extra pressure on the two. It's like corporations that won't sack you directly but will put enough pressure that you quit and walk away yourselves. That's the technique the current Indian management seems to follow.”

Actually, both Virat and Rohit retired from Test cricket earlier this year following poor performances in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. They also stepped away from T20 Internationals after helping India lift the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.

Their appearance in the national colors is limited, and that’s why the selectors have made it clear that Virat and Rohit would be picked purely on the basis of their performances in the future games.

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Sadagoppan Ramesh questions India’s ODI squad for Australia tour

Meanwhile, Sadagoppan Ramesh has called the most selections in the ODI squad for the Australia tour “questionable” but highlighted a few positives. Ramesh pointed out that the appointment of Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain and the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal are the only positives in the squad.

Shreyas Iyer has been one of India’s most consistent middle-order batters in ODIs and has impressed everyone with his captaincy in the IPL. Iyer led KKR to the IPL triumph in 2024, and earlier this year, he captained Punjab Kings to the finals. Delhi Capitals also made it to the final under his captaincy.

Ramesh signed off by saying, “The only good thing they did in the selections was appointing Shreyas Iyer as the vice-captain. He has shown his captaincy skills in the IPL, but he must shine as a batter in Australia; that's really important. The other positive from the selections was the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI squad.”