 "Virat Kohli’s future depends on Shubman Gill’s performance, BCCI leaves the decision to the coach and selectors")
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma will take a decision about his future at the right time while Virat Kohli’s future on England tour will depend on Shubman Gill. The BCCI came down hard on Rohit and Virat in the Australia tour review meeting. Rohit and Kohli faced a lot of criticism for their performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and their careers were questioned as both are over 35 years of age. If Gill shows good form and takes charge of the middle order, Virat Kohli can be dropped.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the future of Kohli and Rohit was discussed in the BCCI review meeting. It included head coach Gautam Gambhir, Rohit, Ajit Agarkar, BCCI joint secretary Devjit Saikia and ICC president Jay Shah. The ICC president was invited to this meeting as he reviewed the aftermath of the defeat against New Zealand. India recently suffered a 0-3 defeat at home against New Zealand, which was the team’s heaviest defeat in recent times.
According to the report, the BCCI officials have left the decision on Rohit and Kohli to Agarkar and his team. They are worried about Rohit’s declining performance in Tests. Rohit has scored just 164 runs in the last eight Tests, including just one half-century. Out of these, he scored 31 runs in the five innings he played in Australia, where his average was only 6.2.
A source told Hindustan Times, “This does not mean that Rohit’s statement ‘I am not going anywhere’ will turn out to be true after all. The selectors are worried about Rohit’s declining graph in Tests, but it is understood that no decision will be made for now. Rohit himself will take the right decision on taking over the captaincy.
Barring a century in Perth, Kohli scored only 90 runs on the tour of Australia, making it a less than memorable tour. “The five-Test series against England is still five months away, so the selectors are likely to form an opinion before considering the matter. Shubman Gill is yet to fit into Kohli’s role. He is nowhere near the level Kohli was at when Sachin Tendulkar retired.