In Raipur, during the second ODI between India and South Africa, a BCCI official dropped in at the press box for an informal meet-and-greet with the media. The news of Virat Kohli playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season had emerged only the evening before. So, on the sidelines, this correspondent asked him if the BCCI had nudged Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play domestic cricket.
The official shook his head. “They have decided, it’s their decision,” he said. The BCCI knows the value of the two greats and trusts their judgement. Also, contrary to the common perception that makes head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, the two in conjunction, all-powerful, the BCCI still stands for the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
If one is allowed to interpret, Agarkar’s team selection press conference in Ahmedabad, ahead of India’s white-ball tour of Australia in October-November, sounded a touch confrontational. Replying to a question related to the future of Rohit and Kohli, the chief selector name checked Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma. “There’s Yashasvi Jaiswal. People tend to forget how good he is as well. And Tilak’s very close. Again, we have taken a 15-man squad,” he had said. Between the lines, it felt like the two veterans, who now play in only one format, had been put on trial, judged on a series-to-series basis. Agarkar also spoke about how, going forward, it would be imperative for Rohit and Kohli to play domestic cricket.
The duo’s response was back-to-back Player-of-the-Series performances, Rohit winning it in Australia on the back of a half-century and an unbeaten hundred, Kohli claiming it in the home ODIs against South Africa, scoring two centuries on the trot and an unbeaten 65 off 45 balls.
And they remain the leaders on the field and in the dressing room. Kuldeep Yadav pleading with KL Rahul for a shot at DRS during the final ODI in Vizag, the stand-in skipper glancing at Rohit at first slip for advice and the former captain having a laugh and telling the bowler to get back to his mark, was a case in point. Kohli, too, joined the banter.
In Raipur, Harshit Rana told reporters how privileged the youngsters feel to have the two Galacticos in the dressing room. “The atmosphere is excellent with them around. Every time we feel under pressure, we can go to them for advice,” the young fast bowler noted. In the Test series against the Proteas that India lost 2-0, the hosts looked bereft of leaders in Shubman Gill’s absence. In the ODI series, the team had two giants to guide Rahul and support the young brigade.
“They (Rohit and Kohli) are world-class players and their experience is important in the dressing room. They have been doing it for a long time. Hopefully, they can continue doing the same, which is going to be important in the 50-over format,” Gambhir said at the post-match presser after winning the ODI series.
The new season started with uncertainty surrounding Rohit and Kohli’s international futures. By virtue of their performances (and fitness), they have once again become masters of their own destiny. That’s what champions do.
Meanwhile, the Vijay Hazare Trophy this term is shaping up to be a blockbuster.
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