No Split Captaincy, Virat Kohli To Lead India Across Formats

Updated - 19 Jul 2019, 02:58 PM

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (Credits: Getty)

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Ever since India bowed out of the World Cup at the semifinal stage following a loss to New Zealand, talks of split captaincy have hogged all the limelight. Speculations are rife that the BCCI might opt to divide the captaincy between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Quite a number of quarters opined that Rohit should be made the captain of at least the T20 side with many even opining that the Mumbai star should take over as ODI captain too.

However, if reports are to be believed then the BCCI does not have any plan like that at the moment. Virat Kohli, the best ODI and Test batsman in the world right now, will continue to lead India across formats. India are all set to tour West Indies for a full-fledged series and Kohli will be the leader throughout.

Sunday will be the day to put all this nonsense to rest once and for all,” The Times of India quoted a source as saying.

India, however, are not new to split captaincy. Between 2015 and 2016, MS Dhoni led the side in limited-overs format while Virat Kohli led the Test sides. Earlier, from November 2007 to October 2008, Anil Kumble was the Test captain and Dhoni was the captain in ODIs and T20s.

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India, nonetheless, will be looking to hit the ground running in the Caribbeans to get over the heartbreaking World Cup exit. Sources say that the team will play the series with the same levels of energy and commitment as any other series/tours in the recent past.

“Last year, we played in South Africa, England and Australia. Before that, we played Sri Lanka. Now, we’re headed to the West Indies. There are matches against Bangladesh followed by the tour of New Zealand. In 24 months, we’re up against all Test playing teams. “That’s the challenge we’re looking at and at no time will there be any let down in intensity,” said sources.