ICC World Test Championship Final: “I’ll Look In That Direction”

Last Update on: April 28th, 2023 at 07:33 pm

In the absence of Rohit Sharma during the final Test of India’s tour to England at Edgbaston last year, Ravi Shastri, the former coach of the Indian cricket team, said that Virat Kohli should have resumed his role as captain. Shastri said that he would be pleased to see Kohli take charge of the team again in similar circumstances.

During India’s tour of England in the summer of 2021, Virat Kohli was the captain of the Test team. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak within the team, the final Test of the series had to be postponed until the following summer in 2022. By that time, Kohli had resigned as the Test captain under contentious circumstances, and Rohit Sharma had taken over the role.

However, in the absence of Rohit for the one-off Test, the team management had to choose a new captain. Ravi Shastri believed that Virat Kohli was a natural choice, given that he had led the team in the previous four Tests. However, India handed the captaincy to Jasprit Bumrah for his debut as captain, which surprised Shastri.

Also Read: PBKS vs LSG: Punjab Kings Will Be Slightly Unpredictable, But They Have The Belief – Aakash Chopra

As Faf du Plessis is only playing as a batter in the IPL 2023 due to a rib injury, Virat Kohli is currently serving as the stand-in captain for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Despite not being the official captain, Kohli has welcomed the opportunity to lead the team once again, stating that it’s something he’s comfortable with.

Virat Kohli Seemed To Have The Burden Of the Whole Word: Ravi Shastri

“If it’s for a major game like that, I want Rohit to be fit, he is the captain. But god forbid something happens under unforeseen circumstances, definitely I’ll look in that direction.”

According to Shastri, Virat Kohli appears to be quite relaxed and composed during IPL 2023. Kohli is presently ranked second on the tournament’s run-scoring charts, only behind Faf du Plessis.

Also Read: PAK vs NZ: “He Knows How To Score Runs That Will Contribute To The Team’s Victory”- Kamran Akmal Lauds Babar Azam

“He’s in a very good space, enjoying his cricket. That’s the feeling I got as opposed to the last year when we were sitting and discussing does he need a break, does he not need a break. He seemed to have the burden of the whole world on his shoulders.”

“Now it’s refreshing. the enthusiasm, passionate energy and enjoyment have come back, which for me was the best thing to see. Runs you might or might not get but when you see someone, and the passion, enjoyment and drive is back again, it’s good.”