Already coping with Ravichandran Ashwin’s and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements, Indian Test cricket has lost yet another old campaigner with Kohli. Virat Kohli’s Test retirement has left Indian cricket with a void that may not be overcome for a considerable period. Already losing the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, Indian Test cricket lost the services of one more old horse when Kohli, in a May 12 Instagram post, stated that he would no longer be playing in the longest version of the game.
That he wasn’t interested in playing in Tests was already a rumour that was going full steam ahead in the preceding days to the statement. But when it did occur, all of them were surprised as reports indicated that the BCCI and several other top names had attempted to persuade Kohli to play with India’s tour of England beginning in June.
Now, as per the report, Virat Kohli was hinted that he would be made the Indian cricket team’s Test captain once again during India’s Tour of Australia in December-January. In the video report of Sports Today, Kohli was hinted about coming back to captaincy, it is mentioned. This came after India lost the second Test in Adelaide under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
“At least those around him do seem to indicate that he was sort of hinted at that he would be getting captaincy after Adelaide. But then things took a turn,” the report added. Then India lost the series and the report stated that there was a ‘change in tone’ and the thought process of the team management was that it should consider a young captain.
The report mentioned that Kohli was still hopeful of getting back the captaincy and also played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi in February, as mandated by the BCCI. But in April, Kohli was told that he was being as a player. Then the star decided to retire. Indeed, former India cricketer and national selector Sarandeep Singh, who coaches the Delhi side as well, recently made some shocking revelations.
There was no indication (of retirement). Did not even hear from anywhere. Some days back, I was speaking to him but I did not receive any indication that he was contemplating this. The kind of IPL he is playing, he is in phenomenal form,” Singh said.
