Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra believes that Indian Test captain, Virat Kohli, will promptly respond to the national team’s chief selector, Chetan Sharma, and his recent statement in the press conference.
Sharma said that the selectors and the BCCI officials had requested Kohli not to step down from the T20I captaincy, especially ahead of a big ICC tournament. However, Kohli had already made up his mind in order to manage his workload.
“A little more fuel has been added to the fire which was already there because the clarification has come from the BCCI via Chetan Sharma, who is the chairman of selectors. Chetan Sharma has issued a clarification that we all had asked Virat not to leave the T20I captaincy, that its timing is not correct; there will be an impact on the World Cup but the captain did not agree.”
“Everyone who was there in the selection committee meeting – selectors, BCCI officials, convenor – all present, requested Virat Kohli to not step down. This is Chetan Sharma’s quote, but the captain said he wanted to step down. Captain had said no one had asked him anything, and everyone said it is a very progressive step,” Chopra noted in a video on his YouTube channel.
“Shots have been fired” – Aakash Chopra
Although BCCI President, Sourav Ganguly, had said that there won’t be further statements regarding Kohli’s captaincy saga, Sharma’s recent comments indicate that the board will continue to speak about it in public. If Kohli does respond once again, things will get uglier than it already is.
“There should be no rumours and sources in 2022 although, after Chetan Sharma’s statement, the shots might have been fired and maybe there will be reciprocation from Virat Kohli’s side as well because till now that is what is happening – one person says something and the other refutes. It’s not really nice, but then if it happens, don’t be surprised,” Chopra mentioned.
For now, the Indian team is on a mission in South Africa. They are leading the 3-match Test series 1-0 and are keen to become the first-ever Indian Test team to win a series on South African soil.
Also, Read – Ashes 2021-22: Michael Atherton Feels England Players Shouldn’t Miss International Games To Play In The IPL