Chetan Sharma refutes Virat Kohli’s claim that no one asked him to stay as T20 captain

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Indian cricket team selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma has refuted Virat Kohli’s claims that he was not asked to withdraw his resignation as T20 captain. Speaking at a press conference on the evening of Friday, December 31, 2022, Sharma said Virat Kohli has been asked to continue as T20 captain for the sake of Indian cricket. Sharma also reconfirmed that he had personally called Virat Kohli and said the selection committee was in favor of keeping the same captain for white ball cricket.

This explanation from Sharma destroyed Kohli’s claim he made days after being let go as ODI captain in which he said he was told about the decision just an hour and a half before. that the decision is not taken officially. BCCI said that because they did not want two cricket captains limited, Kohli was removed from his captain’s post a day after stepping down as T20 captain.

Over the past few days, there has been a lot of talk about Kohli being dropped as captain of the Indian White Ball Cricket Team. But as chairman of the selection committee, Chetan Sharma himself explained the incidents at a press conference, Kohli’s allegations are once again refuted; Sourav Ganguly’s response to these allegations being the first instance. Chetan Sharma’s claim shed light on many aspects of the controversy. Here is what he said.

Proving Kohli’s statement false

Virat Kohli had claimed that it was only by stepping down as captain of the T20 team that he let the BCCI know that he wanted to continue as captain for the ODI and the test formats. ; but the board did not discuss with him before removing him from the post of captain of the ODI team. Refuting Kohli’s claim, Sharma said: “We (BCCI) asked Virat not to step down as captain of the T20. There were no plans to change captains. But he resigned as captain of the T20 and the coaches decided not to divide the captaincy in a limited number, opting for a complete separation.

Kohli said everyone at BCCI accepted his decision to step down as T20 captain, and said the decision was taken as a gradual step, that he had no hesitation in accepting the resignation. and that he had been asked to withdraw the resignation. But Chetan Sharma refuted this and said today that everyone at the meeting asked him to reconsider the decision. “Everyone who attended this meeting told Virat to reconsider his decision. We felt at the time that this would affect the (team at the) World Cup and Virat was told for Indian cricket, “please continue as captain”. Everyone told him so. The host was there. Council officials were there. But he made the decision and we respected it, ”said Sharma.

Earlier, Sourav Ganguly also made similar comments, when he said that the BCCI had asked Virat Kohli not to quit his post as captain of the T20 because there were no plans to change captains. “But he resigned from his post as captain of the T20I and the coaches decided not to divide the captaincy in a limited number, opting for a complete separation,” said BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

What exactly was the committee’s decision?

Chetan Sharma added that the selection of a new captain for the ODI team was the decision made by the selection committee. “As soon as the selection committee made the decision, I immediately appealed to Virat. It was a test selection meeting. Immediately after that, at 5 a.m., we informed him that there would be a white ball captain. In terms of planning, the coaches decided that we need to have a white ball captain and a red ball captain. There were a few questions and we had a good conversation. We did not want to inform him during the selection meeting, ”he added.

Virat Kohli has said he wants to remain captain one day. But BCCI has made it clear that for that he will also have to stay as T20 captain, as the coaches don’t want two different captains for T20 and one cricket day.

About the so-called misunderstanding between Kohli and BCCI

Chetan Sharma also clarified that there was no misunderstanding between Kohli and BCCI. He said: “There is no misunderstanding between BCCI, the selection committee and the players. Whenever the committee makes a decision, it’s only the captain that we can pass on directly. I do not make any decisions independently. We passed on Virat Kohli once we had decided. At the start of the meeting, Virat Kohli let us know that he had decided to step down as captain of the T20I team. We were all shocked to hear his decision. We never wanted controversy.

“It was not the right time (selection meeting for the T20 World Cup) to tell Virat that we wanted to have a captain in white ball format. We were going to a World Cup. It was not the right time to tell him that if he left his position as captain of the T20I, he could not also be the captain of the ODI. Everyone (coaches and BCCI officials) asked him to think about this decision after the World Cup, ”said Sharma.

Difficult decisions cannot be avoided

Chetan Sharma also praised Kohli. He said Virat Kohli is an important player around whom the team is built. Adding to that, he said: “We wish he would play more for India and do a lot more races. We wanted the same captain for the T20I and ODI formats and it was a difficult decision for the selection committee. But then the committee has to make such difficult decisions. “

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