Virat Kohli’s decision to step down from T20 captaincy, though not surprising, was not entirely unexpected. Stories had been swirling about the BCCI seeking a leadership change in white-ball cricket for over a year, and became more prolific in the past few weeks, even as Kohli resumed the turbulent Test series against England. I was leading the team.
The BCCI dismissed these reports as speculation by the media. Considering that the T20 World Cup squad was announced alongside Kohli, it seemed that the BCCI’s position on the issue has been clarified. Tweets supporting Kohli’s captaincy were poured in by board secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal to suggest that everything was hunky-dory.
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But as it turned out, these were convulsions and red herrings. Looking at the timing of Kohli’s decision as well as the reasons behind his exit from the T20 captaincy, and the BCCI’s response, it is clear that behind the scenes talks were going on between the captain and the board. It was not the ‘Eureka’ moment that pushed Kohli’s decision.
While Kohli insisted on ‘workload’ as the main reason for leaving the captaincy, the BCCI revealed that a ‘roadmap’ was being worked out over the last six months, involving the captain, among others. This suggests that there was a lot of discussion, possibly some transaction, before Kohli’s announcement on Thursday.
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Whether Kohli was pushed into a corner cannot be said for sure. But some other developments leading up to the T20 World Cup suggest that his authority was being curtailed. For example, the appointment of MS Dhoni as a mentor for the tournament, while universally hailed, was a bolt from the blue.
Dhoni has a remarkable record in white-ball cricket, unmatched reputation, and shares – by all accounts – a formidable rapport with Kohli (and Ravi Shastri), but his presence will undeniably change the dynamics in the dugout for the captain. and head coach.
In such a situation the word ‘guide’ is primitive and misleading. While the captain’s talk plays out on the field, Dhoni will play as a strategist. Kohli’s impressive, aggressive cricketing persona – which finds a resonance in Shastri – is the exact opposite of Dhoni, and while they may all be good friends, this does not necessarily mean a consensus in strategy and tactics.
The other interesting development was the inclusion of R Ashwin in the T20 World Cup squad. The cunning off-spinner has not been a part of India’s white-ball teams for the past few years. He was not in favor of it even during the recent Test series, which is why his inclusion was surprising.
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Some critics saw it as a rebuke of Kohli and Shastri, but it could be misunderstood. Ashwin’s form over the years has been exceptional. In the UAE, where pitches are known to support slow bowlers, he will be an asset. With Washington Sundar still injured, his inclusion became inevitable.
While Kohli’s captaincy record – in every format – is excellent, his failure to win ICC tournaments in 5-6 years has been cited as the reason why he was placed under harsh scrutiny. This was extended to his captaincy performances in the IPL, where RTCB have not won a title even once under his leadership.
Kohli’s modest form with the bat over the past two years has not helped either, and there were genuine concerns whether captaincy across formats was putting too much pressure on him, and whether Indian cricket would not be better off with a split captaincy model. .
It has now become inevitable as Kohli himself had instigated the churn. In such a powerful position in India, it cannot be easy to leave the captaincy, whatever the struggles and difficulties. In this context, it is commendable that Kohli has conveyed his decision before the T20WC.
He hasn’t waited for the outcome of the tournament to play his hand. Win or lose, he has chosen, allows a new mind to take over. This allows the BCCI, selectors and the captain-in-waiting (possibly Rohit Sharma) to look beyond the T20 World Cup for this format.
In his statement, Kohli mentioned that he still wants to captain in ODIs and Tests, but it remains to be seen whether the officials see a vertical split in the lead for white-ball and red-ball cricket. However, it is clear from recent developments that the power structure built around Kohli has begun to restructure.
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