"What's the nature of Kohli’s injury? Too grave??" - Aakash Chopra takes a dig at BCCI after former captain is rested for West Indies T20Is
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has taken a dig at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after Virat Kohli was rested for the upcoming T20I series in West Indies.
The selectors on Thursday (July 14) named the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series in the West Indies, which will be played from July 29 to August 7.
Kohli, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal have been given a break for the series, which has puzzled some critics considering the T20 World Cup is to be held later in the year.
Questioning the team selection, Chopra wondered about the nature of Kohli’s injury, which forced him to sit out of the first one-dayer against England on Tuesday. A puzzled Chopra took to Twitter and wrote:
"What's the nature of Kohli's injury? Too grave?? Then why hasn't he been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series yet?"
Incidentally, not long after announcing the team for the T20I series in West Indies, the BCCI shared pictures of Kohli practicing in the nets ahead of the second one-dayer against England on Thursday.
The cricket board shared the images with the caption:
"Virat Kohli warming up in the nets ahead of the 2nd ODI against England."
Team India are 1-0 up in the three-match series, having defeated England by 10 wickets in the first game at the Kennington Oval in London.
"He has got to find his way" - Ganguly on Kohli's poor form
Amid growing criticism over Kohli's poor form, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has backed the former Indian captain to come good. He, however, admitted that the 33-year-old will have to find his own way.
Speaking to ANI, Ganguly said:
"Of course, look at the numbers he has got in international cricket that doesn't happen without ability and quality. Yes, he has had a tough time and he knows that. He has been a great player himself.
"He himself knows by his own standards it has not been good and I see him coming back and doing well. But he has got to find his way and become successful, which he has been for the last 12-13 years or more and only Virat Kohli can do that."
The under-fire Indian batter was out for 11 and 20 in the rescheduled Test against England in Birmingham. He failed in the two T20Is as well, scoring 1 and 11.
Before being rested for the T20Is against West Indies, he was not picked in the squad that was announced for the one-day series as well.