Virat Kohli To Skip The 3 ODIs Against Proteas; BCCI Quashes Rumours Of Rift Between Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

Dec 14, 2021 at 2:10 PM

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Virat Kohli To Skip The 3 ODIs Against Proteas; BCCI Quashes Rumours Of Rift Between Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli’s decision to skip the ODI series against South Africa has left many surprised. However, quashing the rumours, a BCCI official said that Virat Kohli has taken the decision due to personal reasons. The Indian Test skipper has reportedly planned a holiday with his family to celebrate the occasion of his daughter Vamika’s first birthday.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be playing with each other for a little while, with injury and other priorities putting their participation in the tour of South Africa exclusive of each other. After Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the entire Test series against the Proteas due to a hamstring injury, Virat Kohli has decided to skip the ODIs on the tour to spend time with his family. Rohit Sharma will be however fit for the 3 ODIs preceding the 3 Tests series.

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli (BCCI)

Virat Kohli To Skip The 3 ODIs Against South Africa For Personal Reasons; BCCI Quashes Rumours Of Rift Between Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

As soon as the news of Virat Kohli giving the South Africa ODI series a miss emerged on Tuesday, rumours started surfacing on social media, suggesting a possible rift between him and Rohit Sharma over the recent captaincy change incident in limited-overs cricket. A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official, however, has asked fans to not believe the social media chatter.

“Virat Kohli has informed us that he’ll not be available for the ODI series. He wants to spend time with his family – don’t read into social media rumours too much, there is nothing between Virat and Rohit”, a BCCI official said.

Sources confirmed the development by saying: “Kohli has decided to opt-out from the ODI series against South Africa. He has requested not to be part of the ODI series for personal reasons. He was supposed to be a part of Test series in South Africa from the beginning.”

Sourav Ganguly. (Photo Source: Twitter)
Sourav Ganguly. (Photo Source: Twitter)

With Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma’s daughter Vamika turning one on January 11, the former T20I and ODI skipper has reportedly planned a holiday with his family to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.

The Indian cricketing fraternity has been intensely debating the recent ODI captaincy change in the national team. Virat Kohli had quit the T20I captaincy himself after the conclusion of the T20I World Cup 2021, while the ODI captaincy role was handed to Rohit Sharma by the BCCI. Defending the decision, the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said that the team couldn’t have two different white-ball skippers.

The former limited-overs skipper, however, hasn’t yet reacted to the development. Though BCCI President Sourav Ganguly maintains that he and the selectors have spoken to Virat Kohli in detail on the change in leadership, the latter is yet to issue a statement on the matter in public.

Rohit Sharma Will Be Fit For ODIs Against Proteas In 3 Weeks

It has also been learned that Rohit Sharma will be fit for the ODI series against South Africa in three weeks’ time. While it was earlier reported that Rohit Sharma has suffered a hamstring tear, it has now been learned that the opening batsman had only pulled his hamstring. Hence, his participation in the limited-overs format against the Proteas isn’t at risk.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma. Image Credits: Twitter

India’s Test series against South Africa begins on December 26 and concludes on January 15. The ODI series will then begin on January 19 and conclude on the 23rd of January 2022.

Rohit Sharma amassed 906 runs at an impressive average of 47.68 in Tests this year. In T20Is, India’s new limited-overs skipper has smashed 424 runs at an excellent average of 38.54, along with a terrific strike rate of 150.88. The veteran opener who averages 46.88 overall in 43 Tests, played 11 Tests in 2021 and averaged 47.68 which included 2 tons and 4 fifties.

Priyank Panchal, who led India A during the just-concluded three-match series, has replaced the veteran opener in Tests, earning his maiden India call-up. Priyank Panchal has featured in 100 first-class matches and has scored 7011 runs at an average of 45.52 and has got 24 centuries to his name. He scored 120 runs in 3 innings averaging 40 with the highest score of 96 against South Africa A recently.

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