Virat Kohli: We will miss Rohit's abilities a lot

Kohli quashes talk of rift with new white-ball skipper; says he is an able captain and tactically very sound

India's Test captain Virat Kohli batted in his candid style, quashing talk of a rift with new white-ball captain Rohit Sharma, during a virtual press conference ahead of the team’s departure to South Africa on Wednesday.

Kohli, 33, stressed that he will miss his in-form and injured opener Rohit in the three-match Test series against Proteas beginning at Centurion on December 26. Kohli also clarified that he will be available for the ODI series selection. Rohit, who will miss the Test series due to hamstring injury, is likely to return to lead the team in the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting on January 19 in Paarl.

Proven track record

“We will miss his [Rohit] abilities a lot. He has proved in England that he has really worked his Test game out. The opening partnership [with KL Rahul] was very important for us in that series. So, obviously with his experience and skills, we will miss his qualities,” Kohli said on Wednesday, when mid-day asked him about missing Rohit as an opener in the South Africa Test series.

Rohit, 34, who has scored 368 in his last four Tests, was India’s top run-getter in the Pataudi Trophy during India’s tour of England earlier this year.

Kohli also reiterated that there is no any problem between him and Rohit, assuring the new white-ball team leader 100 per cent support.

“My responsibility is to push the team in the right direction. Rohit is a very able captain and tactically very sound. Along with [head coach] Rahul [Dravid] bhai, who is a great man manager, they will get my 100 per cent support in ODIs and T20Is,” said Kohli, who has 12,169 ODI runs under his belt from 254 games.

Refuting speculation that he will be taking a break from the upcoming ODI series, Kohli explained: “I was, and I am available for selection all this time. I haven’t had any communication with the BCCI to say that I want to rest. I am available for selection for the ODI series in South Africa and I am always keen to play. People are writing lies. I have never asked for rest.”  

Kohli, who had earlier expressed his desire to lead the ODI team till the 2023 World Cup in India, revealed that he came to know that he will not remain 50-over skipper just after ending the Test team selection meeting last Wednesday.

“I was contacted one-and-a-half hour before the selection meeting for the Test series. And there was no prior communication at all since I announced the T20 captaincy decision up till December 8. The chief selector [Chetan Sharma] discussed with me the Test team to which we both agreed. Before ending the call, I was told that the five selectors have decided that I won’t be an ODI captain anymore, to which I replied ‘okay, fine’,” Kohli said.

Mentally prepared

Though, Kohli appeared disappointed with the developments, he is determined to give his best. “To be prepared for a tour like this and to perform to the best of my abilities…nothing has…and nothing can derail me from that. A lot of things that happen on the outside are not ideal and not how one expects them to be. I’m focused, mentally prepared, and excited to do the best I can for the team and make the team win,” said Kohli, the scorer of 7,801 runs in 97 Tests.

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