Virat Kohli has reportedly opted out of India’s three-match ODI series against South Africa which is scheduled to be held in January next year, as he plans to take a short break for personal reasons. Kohli was recently replaced by Rohit Sharma as the captain of the India ODI team nearly a couple of months after he announced his decision to give up T20I leadership role.
According to sources, Kohli has already informed BCCI of his plans to spend time with his family as the ODI series in South Africa falls at the same time as the birthday of his daughter.
This news comes a day after BCCI revealed that Rohit has been ruled out of the South Africa Test series due to a hamstring issue. However, the newly appointed Test vice-captain is expected to be fit for the ODIs.
The development regarding Kohli skipping ODIs may give rise to speculations that all is not well in the Indian dressing room. In the past, there have been reports of Kohli and Rohit not being on friendly terms.
“Over the years, the Indian dressing room has been fraught with egos. Be it Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag or Gautam Gambhir. But that doesn’t mean that it has boiled over to what they go and do out there on the field. They’re professionals and are required to behave in a certain fashion at all times,” a source, who is tracking the development, was quoted as saying.
BCCI, in a media release announcing the Test squad for the South Africa tour, had informed of its decision to hand over the white-ball captaincy to Rohit.
“It’s bound to invite speculations. Just yesterday, Rohit Sharma ruled out from the test squad (Where Kohli is captain). Now, Kohli from the ODI squad (where Rohit Sharma is captain). It looks like all is not well in Indian Cricket” the source added.
