IND vs WI: Rohit Sharma Will Definitely Expect Virat Kohli To Play The Leadership Role, Says Ajit Agarkar

Former Indian cricketer Ajit Agarkar said that India’s new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma would expect his predecessor Virat Kohli to contribute with bat.

After the conclusion of South Africa Test series last month, Kohli relinquished captaincy duties from the red-ball format, which meant he was relieved from the leadership role.

Kohli’s long awaited international hundred has been the talk of the town as he hasn’t scored since more than two years.

In the recent ODI series against Proteas, Kohli made a couple of half-centuries in the first and third match but once again failed convert them into a three-figure mark.

Virat Kohli is not batting the way we know him to bat: Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar pointed out that Kohli is not playing like a match-winner like he used to play in earlier times. The former Indian pacer said that Rohit would expect Kohli to contribute in leadership role as well.

“Rohit Sharma will definitely expect Virat Kohli also to play the leadership role because he has been the captain for such a long time. He has been on the hot seat and has been the best player of the team. In my opinion, at the moment Virat Kohli is not batting the way we know him to bat,” Agarkar said on Star Sports.

“That will be Rohit’s first expectation that Virat rediscovers his form because when he plays like that, he wins the match. The captain’s job becomes easier the more match-winners you have in the team,” he added.

It will definitely be slightly different for Virat Kohli: Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar also mentioned that things will be slightly different for Kohli as the limelight won’t be on him from now onwards and he can regain his old batting version.

“It will definitely be slightly different for Virat Kohli because he is not used to staying slightly out of the limelight as you were taking the decision always in the last six to seven years when you were the captain and all the responsibility was on you,” Agarkar said.

“I don’t think it will be any different. Virat will definitely chip in whenever required or try to help the captain but the most important thing for me is Kohli the batsman, if he starts playing the way we know him to, then Rohit might not need anything else from him,” he added.

India will play against West Indies in three ODI matches and as many T20 Internationals, the white-ball series starts with the first ODI on February 6 in Ahmedabad.

Also Read: I Think This Could’ve Been Sorted Behind Closed Doors – Gautam Gambhir On “Internal Battle” Between Virat Kohli And The BCCI