The news of Virat Kohli’s removal from the ODI captaincy so abruptly, with no recognition of his contribution or official thanks message, suggests that Indian cricket is reverting to the days we believed were long gone. The hit-job journalism and leaked reports from the dressing room during England’s recent trip, as well as this sacking and the manner in which it was handled, have all cast a pall over the situation.
Being the captain of the Indian cricket team has always been a dangerous position to have. When you have a job, you get a lot of power and authority, yet you can be fired at any time. People who have followed cricket for a long time are aware of this, but the Dhoni and Kohli eras led us to believe that Indian cricket had progressed beyond the period of politics, mismanagement, and sackings. India’s reputation and pride as a cricketing country were only increasing.
Kohli has been India’s most successful one-day captain in terms of statistics. In 95 games, he guided India to 65 victories and 27 defeats. That is the most ever achieved by an Indian skipper. He also led India to the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, where they were defeated by archrival Pakistan, and to the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup, where they were defeated by New Zealand.
It was the golden period of Indian cricket, as the success we had under Dhoni’s leadership was incredible, and the trend continued under Kohli’s leadership, as India won five matches for every two they lost, and the squad reached the final and semi-final of both ICC events they competed in.
Cricket is a greater phenomenon in India than we can fathom. Such choices and treatment are more important than winning or losing a game or a series. Whether it’s young cricket aspirants or fans, everyone wants their stars to be well-treated.
In any case, Virat Kohli deserves a lot more respect and, at the very least, a dignified retirement than he’s getting. It’s not for anyone, it’s for everyone.
