Rohit Sharma Has Done The Right Thing By Coming Out In The Open: Atul Wassan On Indian Skipper Backing Virat Kohli

Former Indian player Atul Wassan appreciated India’s white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma for coming out and backing his predecessor Virat Kohli in the public domain.

Since the time Kohli stepped down from India’s captaincy role from all formats last month, a lot of things have been said about the player and his rifts with Rohit in media. Critics are also constantly reminding Kohli for not scoring an international hundred for more than two years.

Virat Kohli is in a great mental space: Rohit Sharma

The Delhi batter could manage to score 26 runs from three innings at an average of 8.67 in the ODI series against the West Indies. When Rohit was asked about Kohli’s poor form with the bat, the Indian skipper said that the media personnel should try to not speak much about Kohli for a while and everything will get resolved on its own.

“It starts from you guys (media). If you guys keep quiet for a while, he’ll be alright. If you don’t do much talking from your side, everything will be taken care of,” Rohit said in the pre-match press conference of the T20I series against West Indies.

“Kohli is in a great mental space from what I can see, he’s been around for more than a decade. Knows how to handle pressure situations. If you guys can keep it quiet for a bit, everything will fall in place,” he added. 

They play with each other: Atul Wassan

Wassan, who played nine ODI matches and four Tests for India during the period of 1990-91, compared Kohli and Rohit’s chapter to a similar incident during the time of Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar’s playing days.

“I think this should have come sooner because the rumours emanating from the Indian dressing room and camp that there is a rift between Rohit and Virat which is unfounded and I think every player has got some issues and it doesn’t mean that they try to perform and under-perform when somebody else is the captain.

“I think this was historically done when Bishan Singh Bedi versus Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev versus Sunil Gavaskar used to happen. These guys are professionals these days,” Waasan told news agency ANI.

“They play with each other, against each other and they play around. IPL is a perfect example. So, I think they travel so many months of the year together. So, I think they live like families. So, some kind of proximity breeds contempt that is pretty true.

“Something might happen but that should not be blown out of proportion that it should hamper the team’s morale Rohit has done the right thing by coming out in the open and I agree that there is too much chatter about Virat and it is natural,” he added. 

After sweeping West Indies 3-0 in the ODI series, India will play their first T20I match against them on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Also Read: IND vs WI: Rohit Sharma Reacts To Question On Virat Kohli’s “Lack Of Confidence”