Team India is considered as one of the incredible forces in international cricket. With a plethora of top players in the country, earning a place in the team is beyond the bounds of possibility. One has to perform consistently at the highest level to draw the attention of the selectors.
We have seen players showcasing their mettle in the domestic, as well as, in the IPL. These are the two possible routes with which the players can earn a place in the team. However, no matter how experienced the players are, the team cannot move forward without a good leader.
Indian cricket fans will forever be grateful to Sourav Ganguly for turning Team India into a competitive team. Ganguly led the team ever so well and set a great example as a leader. Following his footprints, MS Dhoni took Team India to another step in intensity. Under his captaincy, India won three major ICC trophies namely, ICC Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, ICC ODI World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013.
After that, Virat Kohli took over from MS Dhoni as Team India’s full-time captain in early 2017. Virat Kohli captained the team for 5 years before Rohit Sharma took over as full-time limited-overs captain. The BCCI did the right thing by sacking Virat Kohli as ODI captain. Here’s why:
1. No split captaincy in white-ball cricket.
The BCCI doesn’t encourage the idea of bringing split captaincy in white-ball cricket. Earlier, Virat Kohli stepped down as T20I captain post the T20 World Cup in Oman. The BCCI made the right choice in naming Rohit Sharma as the new T20I captain.
Just a couple of days ago, the BCCI reportedly sacked Virat Kohli to make Rohit Sharma the ODI captain. Sourav Ganguly said that the selectors didn’t feel right to have two different captains for two different formats. Having two white-ball captains isn’t the right thing because it will not give complete clarity on the selection of certain players.
We all know that every captain has his own style. Given that the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is not far away, BCCI took the right decision to appoint Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain.
2. Virat Kohli lacked the extra cutting edge as a captain in major events.
Virat Kohli led the Indian team for close to 5 years but that doesn’t change the fact that he led the team with passion and aggression. When India was criticised for not winning a series against top nations in overseas conditions, Kohli built a team ever so well.
Under his philosophy, India grew from strength to strength as they won the Test series in Australia and the ODI series in South Africa. However, Kohli lacked the extra cutting edge to pull off a barrage of tricks in the major ICC events.
As a captain, Virat Kohli played four ICC events but failed to win a trophy. With the 2023 ODI World Cup not far away, the BCCI did the right thing by naming Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain.
3. No player is bigger than the team.
In sports, no player is bigger than the team. Be it football, cricket or any other team sport, there is no individual who is bigger than the team. India’s cricket body could have simply proceeded with Virat Kohli as the captain in One-Day Internationals.
Virat Kohli is the richest and the best cricketer in the world. However, the selectors were aware that Kohli didn’t prove his worth as a captain in major events. As a result, the BCCI removed him as ODI captain. The BCCI showed that no player is bigger than the team’s general interest.