Everyone Asked Virat To Continue As T20I Captain For 'Sake Of Indian Cricket': Chetan Sharma

During the presser, Chief selector Chetan Sharma talked about the controversy over the removal of Virat Kohli from India's ODI captaincy.

Team India captain Virat Kohli, Photo Courtesy: @ICC / Twitter

New Delhi: Indian selectors recently announced the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. The selectors named KL Rahul as the captain of team India for the three-match ODI series. Senior speedster Jasprit Bumrah has been named as the vice-captain.

Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of Ind vs SA ODI series due to injury. Chief selector Chetan Sharma himself announced the team and during the presser, he also talked about the controversy over the removal of Virat Kohli from India's ODI captaincy.

"When meeting started, it was a surprise for everybody. If the World T20 is round the corner and you hear something like this, what will be your reaction? Everyone present in that meeting had told him that he should think hard about his decision (to quit T20 captaincy) and we can talk about it after the World Cup," Chetan answered a query from PTI during a media conference after the ODI team selection.

In fact, everyone told him to continue for "sake of Indian cricket", but apparently, he had made up his mind.

"All selectors felt at that time that this can affect us in the World Cup. It was told to Virat for sake of Indian cricket, please continue as the captain and it was told by everybody (BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) present in the meeting.

"The convenors were there, board officials were there. Sabhi ne bola hai (everyone told him), Who won't tell you? If this news comes to you, you are in a shock," Chetan said.

"But since we had a World T20 to play, we never wanted it (decision) to affect team. He (Kohli) had his plans and we respect him. He is a pillar of the team and if he has taken a decision we respect it. But yes, everybody told him to think about it," he said.

Chetan categorically said that the selectors had decided to tell Kohli that two white-ball leaders wasn't a feasible option.

"It was Virat's decision and nobody actually told him to quit the captaincy. Once he quit T20 captaincy, obviously the selectors have to think what our decision is and obviously it is one captain for white-ball formats, it becomes easy for selectors to plan things.

"Obviously, the 50 overs decision was selectors' and T20 was his decision," Chetan put it on record.

(With inputs from PTI)