The growing discontent within the Indian dressing room over the handling of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s future has added another layer of drama to the ongoing saga. It has been reliably learned by NDTV sources that the relationship between Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir is turning cold due to disagreements over certain important topics regarding the batter’s future. A source informed NDTV that while Rohit Sharma has already confirmed his availability to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kohli has refused to participate in the domestic one-day tournament.
This stance contrasts with Rohit’s apparent keenness to play for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, having also made himself available for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament to maintain his match fitness. Kohli, on the other hand, reportedly believes he is not in favour of ‘excessive preparation’. The BCCI, hence, is in a tricky state, as they aren’t keen on making an exception for a player, even if the said player is of the stature of Virat Kohli.
“The issue is with the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He (Kohli) simply doesn’t want to play. When Rohit [Sharma] is also playing, how can there be an exception for one player? And what do we tell the other players? That someone is different from all of you?” the source told NDTV.
The BCCI selection committee and head coach Gambhir have consistently pushed available players to participate in domestic cricket. It was, in fact, the BCCI’s insistence that saw both Rohit and Kohli play the Ranji Trophy following the dismal Test series in Australia.
After the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi, Kohli hinted at relying on his strong foundation, thanks to the work he put into himself over the years, and focusing solely on one-day internationals for India. “I’ve never been a believer in a lot of prep. All my cricket has been mental. I work physically very hard, as long as my fitness levels are up, and then you visualise batting and feeling well, it’s good,” Kohli had said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
The BCCI, according to sources, dispatched national selector Pragyan Ojha to Raipur, the venue for the second ODI between India and South Africa on Wednesday, to mediate the worsening affairs between Kohli and Gambhir.
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