Former team India captain Kapil Dev has commented on Virat Kohli's resignation from Team India Test captaincy on Saturday following a 2-1 loss against South Africa in their Test series.
The former captain who led team India to win the 1983 World Cup welcomed Kohli's decision. He said Kohli was “going through a rough time” and “appeared to be under a lot of pressure”.
However, he also asked Kohli to lower his ego should he want to stay with the team and play under a new captain.
“Even Sunil Gavaskar played under me. I played under K Srikkanth and (Mohammad) Azharuddin. I had no ego,” the 63-year-old told Mid-Day newspaper.
“Virat will have to give up his ego and play under a young cricketer. This will help him and Indian cricket. Virat should guide the new captain, new players. We cannot lose Virat, the batsman ... no way.”
Team India is crumbling
Veteran cricket journalist Ayaz Memon has said that team India is crumbling and Kohli's resignation has created a batting crisis in the squad.
Earlier in September, Kohli gave up his Twenty20 captaincy. Then later in December, he was replaced as the One-Day International (ODI) captain. Opener Rohit Sharma replaced him in both formats while he remained the Test team captain until he announced his retirement on Saturday on social media.
“I think clearly there was disenchantment between Kohli and the authorities,” veteran cricket journalist Ayaz Memon told AFP.
“You don't need any statement, you can sense it from the manner he gave up the T20 captaincy and then the ODI captaincy was taken away from him.”
Previously, Kohli and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Saurav Ganguly contradicted each other about his resignation from the T20 captaincy in December.
“It has become a challenging situation for India because you have a team that has crumbled, the batting certainly,” he added.
BCCI treasurer Arun Shumal, however, the situation is not something should be worried about.
“I am sure with the kind of bench strength we will get over with this phase as well,” Dhumal told AFP. “It's just the change in leadership position that will happen, and when eventually somebody would take over they would take it from here and make sure the team gives its best on the field.
“Let us focus on Team India rather than thinking and bothering about what is being printed or spoken about.”
Sharma to replace Kohli
A BCCI official has, meanwhile revealed that the board was set to announce Rohit Sharma as India Test team new skipper.
“All the confusion, question in regard to India’s New Test Captain can be laid to rest," the official said. "The BCCI is set to name Rohit Sharma as India’s New TEST Captain. The BCCI will make official announcement right after to the tour of South Africa.
“The workload will be immense. He needs to keep himself very agile and fit. I think the selectors will have a word with him. He will have to work to extra-bit on his fitness.”
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