BCCI planning to replace Virat Kohli with Rohit Sharma as ODI captain: Reports

Cricket Desk: Virat Kohli’s ODI captaincy has been the talking point since he stepped down from India’s T20I captaincy role after the T20 World Cup last month.

Numerous reports have suggested that Kohli might not continue as the team’s ODI captain even though he had said that he would lead the team in Tests and ODIs.

In fact, there have also been speculations that Rahul Dravid, India’s new head coach, wants to hand over the complete white-ball captaincy to Rohit Sharma, who led India in the T20I series against New Zealand.

Difficult for Virat Kohli to keep his ODI captaincy: BCCI source

India’s ODI squad announcement for the South Africa tour will decide the fate of Kohli as the ODI skipper. However, BCCI officials believe that Rohit will get more time to prepare and lead the team in the 2023 World Cup.

“As of now, it looks difficult that Virat would be able to keep his ODI captaincy but since ODI isn’t important this year with very few matches here and there, one can think of delaying the decision,” a senior BCCI source told PTI.

“But the counter-argument is that why do you want to have separate ideas for two formats and if the majority of people in charge of making decisions feel that Rohit is the man going forward and will get time to prepare a team for the 2023 event,” he said.

Ajinkya Rahane to be removed from India’s Test vice-captaincy: BCCI source

Ajinkya Rahane is currently out of the second Test against New Zealand as the Indian board said the player has sustained a minor left hamstring strain.

The BCCI official feels that Rahane might not retain his vice-captaincy role to Virat Kohli in Test cricket owing to poor form with the bat.

“Obviously, he is going to South Africa but had he not got injured, there was a high chance of him getting dropped from the eleven. So if he is not a sure-shot starter, how can he remain the deputy. If Rahane is removed from vice-captaincy, Rohit is the obvious choice. He was in fact vice-captain in the Australia Test series in the last two games,” the official said.

India will be touring to South Africa to play three Test matches and as many ODI matches, the tour commences on December 26.