BCCI insisted Virat Kohli to continue as T20I captain, says Chetan Sharma

Requesting the controversies to be put to rest at the turn of the year, Sharma stressed there is nothing wrong between Kohli and Rohit.

More than a fortnight after Virat Kohli insisted on not being told to reconsider his decision to step down as India’s T20I captain, chairman of national selection panel Chetan Sharma has said the selectors had requested Kohli to not announce it “on the cusp of the World Cup campaign”.

“It was a surprise. All the selectors asked Virat to reconsider that for the sake of Indian cricket, please continue as captain. It may affect the World Cup campaign. Everybody requested him to not announce ahead of the World Cup,” Sharma said on Friday after announcing India’s squad for the ODI series versus South Africa.

Soon after the BCCI axed Kohli as the ODI captain earlier this month, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had said the BCCI had asked Kohli to not step down as T20I skipper. Despite Kohli contradicting the BCCI chief, Sharma said the selectors were in no position to have a detailed discussion in September.