BCCI To Split Captaincy Between Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma?

Ever since India’s ouster in the semi-final of the Cricket World Cup, there have been a lot of discussions about wrong player selections and the areas where the team faltered in that crunch match.

While the matter is expected to come up at the review meeting with coach Ravi Shastri, captain Kohli and chief selector MSK Prasad in the presence of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), another factor that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also keen to discuss is the idea of split captaincy.

#Two Captains?

According to A BCCI functionary, India could look at the option of having Rohit Sharma lead the team in the shorter format while Virat Kohli continues in Tests, he added.

“This would be the right time for Rohit to take over the mantle of the captaincy in the 50-over format. There has been immense support to the present captain and the management and it is time to plan ahead for the next World Cup and for that the existing ideas and plans need a fresh look. We all know some areas need a relook. Rohit would be the right man for the job,” IANS quoted the unnamed functionary as saying.

#Rift Rumours

As per the BCCI functionary, however, the biggest concern that has come up post India’s World Cup exit is talks of different camps and rumours of a rift between the Kohli and Rohit. That could be detrimental for Indian cricket as the team looks to move forward and the matter is set to be discussed in the review meeting.

“Vinod Rai (CoA chief) has already mentioned that a review meeting will take place. This will have to be ascertained when the review takes place and it is important to get to the bottom of these rumours,” the functionary added.

Interestingly, the last time there was a meeting where the CoA members had met senior players and coach—during the Test against West Indies in Hyderabad last year—Kohli and Rohit’s difference of thought was visible when it came to resting players in the IPL keeping the World Cup in mind.