Former India cricketer Madan Lal has slammed the selection panel headed by former cricketer Chetan Sharma for axing Virat Kohli as India’s ODI captain. The selectors on Wednesday sacked Kohli and appointed Rohit Sharma as the new captain in the 50-overs format.
While Kohli was interested to continue leading the ODI side, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly stressed that they wanted to have a uniform captain in the white-ball format. The decision has not gone well with certain sections including Madan Lal, who took a dig at the selectors saying that Kohli should have led India in the World Cup in two years’ time.
“I don’t know what the selectors have thought about this, but if he [Kohli] is producing the right results then why [change him]? I can understand T20s [he stepped down as captain] because there is so much of cricket and he can concentrate on two other formats,” Lal was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
“But if you are successful and still you are removed, it will of course pinch him. I was thinking Kohli would have stayed [as captain] till the 2023 World Cup. It is very difficult to build a team, but easier to destroy it,” he added.
“I don’t understand why would there be confusion” – Madan Lal
In contrast to Sourav Ganguly’s statement, Madan Lal pointed out Kohli led the Test time while MS Dhoni had the charge of ODIs and T20Is for more than two years.
“I don’t understand why would there be confusion. Every captain has a different style, so confusion is for what. The style will anyway change in Test and limited-overs. Virat and Rohit have their own style of leading the teams. MS Dhoni too had his own style. At the international level, it is about professionalism and performing all the time,” Madan Lal concluded.
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