The All-India Senior Selection Committee sat down to pick an 18-member squad for the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa starting from 26th December 2021. And they did that. But while they were doing that, they also decided to elevate Rohit Sharma to the ODI captaincy, as we were told by a press release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Also read:
Indian cricket: Rohit Sharma replaces Virat Kohli as ODI captain, to lead in both white-ball formats
India’s squad for SA Test series: Rohit Sharma named vice captain, Ravindra Jadeja among absentees
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and ODI captaincy: If no one else, Indian cricket fans deserve to know why
Just before the recent ICC T20 World Cup, Kohli had announced his decision to step down as India’s T20 captain.
Kohli had then said: “Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI Cricket.”
But the selection committee has now decided to look past Kohli and in the direction of Sharma to get India the elusive ICC Trophy in white-ball cricket.
Kohli had a superb record in bilaterals but he could not get India across the line in ICC tournaments (2017 Champions Trophy, 2019 ODI World Cup and 2021 T20 World Cup) and that might have counted against him. But we cannot know for sure if this was a unilateral decision or one that Kohli was on board with for now.
Sharma, on the other hand, has found his feet in Test cricket and looks well equipped to take India forward in white-ball cricket, given his leadership exposure.
Still, as things stand, we aren’t exactly sure about all the permutations and combinations in play here. For now, here are some social media reactions to the decision:
The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams going forward.#TeamIndia | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/hcg92sPtCa
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 8, 2021
A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021
Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF
Virat Kohli ➡️ Rohit Sharma
— ICC (@ICC) December 8, 2021
Beginning of a new era for India men’s limited-overs cricket. pic.twitter.com/5yo9Jdj4U2
Virat Kohli’s record with the bat as a captain in ODIs:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) December 8, 2021
Matches : 95
Innings : 91
Runs : 5449
Average : 72.65
SR : 98.28
100s : 21
50s : 27
Only Ricky Ponting (22) has hit more centuries as a captain in ODIs than Virat Kohli (21).#ViratKohli
Rohit Sharma as India captain...
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 8, 2021
in ODIs: Since 10 Dec 2017 - 10 ODIs, 8 wins, 2 losses (%win 80.00) - is #3 in this format.
in T20Is: Since 20 Dec 2017 - 22 T20Is, 18 wins, 4 losses (%win 81.82) - has the best record in this format.
Among all who have captained their respective sides in 50 ODIs or more......
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) December 8, 2021
No one has a better batting average than Virat (72.65)
Only three (Clive Lloyd, Ricky Ponting and Hansie Cronje) have better win-percentage.#Virat #ViratKohli
However great a player Virat Kohli is, this is the time to reach out to him. It is inevitable he will feel a sense of loss. It is always tricky with two captains when both are playing all formats and it is critical Dravid, Kohli and Rohit are comfortable and have a common vision
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 8, 2021
This split in the captaincy could well be a master stroke because it could liberate Virat Kohli but it is critical that it is managed with sensitivity & care. Rohit and Virat are proud, mature Indian players first and I am certain, they will handle the shared responsibility well
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 8, 2021
Thank you Captain @imVkohli for leading #TeamIndia through an emphatic and aggressive era in white-ball cricket! 🤩
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) December 8, 2021
Your brand of cricket will be a template for the future to follow. 🙌🏻#PlayBold #ThankYouCaptainKohli pic.twitter.com/BxtmWcklT5
I know the trophy drought has been long for Indian cricket but Virat Kohli took over ODI captaincy only in 2017.
— Prashanth S (@ps_it_is) December 8, 2021
A captain who maintained win percentage of 68% in ODI’s is surely not supposed to be bidden farewell via a press release with two sentences without even mentioning his name, no?
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) December 8, 2021
13 years later, Rohit Sharma is going to lead the Indian team in ODI World Cup. pic.twitter.com/gKmKBW6Eit
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 8, 2021
#RohitSharma’s stock continues to rise. Captain now in both white ball formats, vice captain in Test cricket, all three thoroughly deserved. Plaudits must also be given to #ViratKohli who, despite some disappointments, did wonderfully as captain in T20is and ODIs
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 8, 2021
So Ajinkya Rahane is dropped from vice-captaincy cos that makes him easier to drop cos of poor form?
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) December 8, 2021
Meanwhile Rahane was dropped during India’s tour of South Africa in 2018 despite being vice-captain & in better form back then.
Weird Indian cricket selection is weird. #IndvSA
"People on the outside can say whatever they want" is a line we keep hearing from Indian cricket folks. I tend to agree when there is unnecessary speculation about what goes inside the dressing room. But when the official communication is this poor, it helps absolutely no one.
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 8, 2021
To essentially sack a guy who had a winning % of 68 in ODIs takes some guts. Did Kohli want this too? Will he be okay with the decision? A press conference to explain the decision would have helped. For now, we will have to make do with 'sources'.
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) December 8, 2021
BCCI should've put out a proper statement from either their side or Virat's. Heck even Tim Paine got to make his own statement.
— Manya (@CSKian716) December 8, 2021
Just because ODI & T20 are played with the same coloured ball, it doesn't mean you can club them together.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) December 8, 2021
This narrative of having the same captains for white ball formats doesn't make a lot of sense when the skills are entirely different for both of them.
It’s appalling that change in captaincy press release is neither accompanied by an explanation/ view of chief selector nor was a presser called. Transparency my foot! @BCCI
— neeru bhatia (@neerubhatia3) December 8, 2021
Now looking back, perhaps with the T20I captaincy, Virat Kohli took the decision for the selectors by stepping down himself & and with the ODI captaincy, the selectors have taken the decision for him #IndvSA #RohitSharma
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 8, 2021
Congratulations Rohit Sharma, appointed as the ODI captain. With 2 World Cup in 2 years, it's time to bring the trophy back, feel for Kohli as he was looking to lead the ODI team, hopefully there will be a good communication between both players moving forward.
— Bhawana (@bhawnakohli5) December 8, 2021