Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has blamed R Ashwin's return in India's limited-overs setup as one of the reasons behind the team's 3-0 whitewash against South Africa in the recently-concluded ODI series. India lost the third and final ODI against South Africa by 4 runs on Sunday (January 24) in Cape Town to lose the series 3-0.

Manjrekar, who has often been critical of Ashwin's performances away from home, has once again come down hard on the senior Indian spinner. Manjrekar believes India paid the price by picking Ashwin in their ODI squad. The off-spinner was not part of India's limited-overs squad since 2017 before making his comeback in the T20 World Cup 2021 last year.

Ashwin returned to India's ODI squad after a staggering five years as he was included in the squad for the ODI series against South Africa. However, he failed to make an impact and returned with just one wicket in the first two games. Ashwin finished with figures of&nbsp;1/53 in the first ODI before going wicket-less while conceding 68 runs off his spell in the second game.

He was dropped from the playing XI in the third and final encounter as KL Rahul-led India aimed to avoid a clean sweep. However, India suffered back-to-back three defeats to lose the ODI series 3-0 after a disappointing 2-1 loss in the Test series.

“Ashwin strangely came back into India’s ODI plans for some reason. India paid a price for that. He played the two crucial games, did nothing much. (Yuzvendra) Chahal also under the scanner. Prasidh Krishna needs to be backed a bit more. Also, in 50-overs, Mohammed Shami can be a good option," said Manjrekar on ESPNCricinfo.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-gives-deadly-stare-to-rishabh-pant-after-he-throws-away-his-wicket-for-a-duck-in-3rd-odi-watch-447061">Virat Kohli gives deadly stare to Rishabh Pant after he throws away his wicket for a duck in 3rd ODI - WATCH</a>

The cricketer turned commentator also stated that Bhuvneshwar Kumar's time with the Indian team is all but over as the senior pacer has been far from his best for quite a while now. He backed Deepak Chahar to be selected over Bhuvneshwar as the swing bowler in the team.

“Bowling wise, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had given signs even before this series that he is finding it difficult to get back to his best. I guess that issue is closed after seeing his performance in the series. And Deepak Chahar, the one ball to get Janneman Malan, should tell selectors that he is a better option," said Manjrekar.

The former cricketer called India's 3-0 series loss against the Proteas as one of their worst performances in the country.

“The way the match ended sums up the whole trip for India. It has to be one of the poorest Indian tours to South Africa. That’s how it was destined to be. It just wasn’t India’s time in South Africa. It is a bad loss," Manjrekar concluded.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has blamed R Ashwin's return in India's limited-overs setup as one of the reasons behind the team's 3-0 whitewash against South Africa in the recently-concluded ODI series.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has blamed R Ashwin's return in India's limited-overs setup as one of the reasons behind the team's 3-0 whitewash against South Africa in the recently-concluded ODI series. India lost the third and final ODI against South Africa by 4 runs on Sunday (January 24) in Cape Town to lose the series 3-0. Manjrekar, who has often been critical of Ashwin's performances away from home, has once again come down hard on the senior Indian spinner. Manjrekar believes India paid the price by picking Ashwin in their ODI squad. The off-spinner was not part of India's limited-overs squad since 2017 before making his comeback in the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. Ashwin returned to India's ODI squad after a staggering five years as he was included in the squad for the ODI series against South Africa. However, he failed to make an impact and returned with just one wicket in the first two games. Ashwin finished with figures of 1/53 in the first ODI before going wicket-less while conceding 68 runs off his spell in the second game. He was dropped from the playing XI in the third and final encounter as KL Rahul-led India aimed to avoid a clean sweep. However, India suffered back-to-back three defeats to lose the ODI series 3-0 after a disappointing 2-1 loss in the Test series. “Ashwin strangely came back into India’s ODI plans for some reason. India paid a price for that. He played the two crucial games, did nothing much. (Yuzvendra) Chahal also under the scanner. Prasidh Krishna needs to be backed a bit more. Also, in 50-overs, Mohammed Shami can be a good option," said Manjrekar on ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: Virat Kohli gives deadly stare to Rishabh Pant after he throws away his wicket for a duck in 3rd ODI - WATCH The cricketer turned commentator also stated that Bhuvneshwar Kumar's time with the Indian team is all but over as the senior pacer has been far from his best for quite a while now. He backed Deepak Chahar to be selected over Bhuvneshwar as the swing bowler in the team. “Bowling wise, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had given signs even before this series that he is finding it difficult to get back to his best. I guess that issue is closed after seeing his performance in the series. And Deepak Chahar, the one ball to get Janneman Malan, should tell selectors that he is a better option," said Manjrekar. The former cricketer called India's 3-0 series loss against the Proteas as one of their worst performances in the country. “The way the match ended sums up the whole trip for India. It has to be one of the poorest Indian tours to South Africa. That’s how it was destined to be. It just wasn’t India’s time in South Africa. It is a bad loss," Manjrekar concluded.

'India paid price for that': Sanjay Manjrekar blames Ashwin's return for Rahul & Co.'s 3-0 series loss vs SA

Virat Kohli was left stunned on the other end as Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant threw his wicket away playing a rash shot in the third ODI against South Africa in Cape Town on Sunday (January 24). Recently, Kohli had defended Pant after he was criticised for his poor shot selection during the Test series against the Proteas.

However, Pant, who is known for his swashbuckling and aggressive style of batting, ended up making the same mistake once again. Pant came out to bat at number four after India lost Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on 116 runs in the 23rd over while chasing a challenging target of 288 runs. Pant went for a big shot the very first ball he faced from Andile Phehlukwayo and ended up paying the price.

It was an unnecessary rash shot from the left-hander, who has been often criticised for his poor shot selection for the Indian team. Pant was caught in the deep by Sisanda Magala as he was sent packing on a duck on the very first ball he faced in the game. Kohli, who was batting at the other end, was left stunned and gave a deadly stare to Pant after yet another casual error.

Kohli's reaction to Pant throwing his wicket away with a poor shot soon went viral on social media with fans criticising the left-hander for not valuing his wicket when playing for the country.

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Virat Kohli 's reaction itself describes Rishabh pant's bad performance today ....<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsSAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsSAF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsSA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KLRahul?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KLRahul</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CricketTwitter?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CricketTwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCCIPolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCCIPolitics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KingKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KingKohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/captaincy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#captaincy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ODI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ODI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whitewash?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whitewash</a> <a href="https://t.co/VJuFeZLo5j">pic.twitter.com/VJuFeZLo5j</a>
— sandeep ratna (@Vicharofsandeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/Vicharofsandeep/status/1485308701082857482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Virat Kohli gave a stare to Rishabh Pant after he got out <a href="https://t.co/1zS6DABSw8">pic.twitter.com/1zS6DABSw8</a>
— India Fantasy (@india_fantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/india_fantasy/status/1485263189596307460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-just-starting-out-rahul-dravid-defends-kl-rahuls-captaincy-after-3-0-whitewash-against-south-africa-447056">'He is just starting out': Rahul Dravid defends KL Rahul's captaincy after 3-0 whitewash against South Africa</a>

India were reduced to 118/3 after Pant's dismissal in the same over as Dhawan before Kohli, who played a fine knock of 65 runs off 84 balls, added a 38-run stand for the 4th wicket with Shreyas Iyer (26). Suryakumar Yadav scored 39 off 32 balls but the middle-order once again failed to deliver.

Deepak Chahar then came up with a sensational cameo of 34-ball 54 to keep India in the race till the end but his efforts went in vain as the visitors fell short by 4 runs to lose the game and concede the ODI series 3-0. India had earlier lost the Test series against South Africa 2-1.

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Virat Kohli was left stunned on the other end as Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant threw his wicket away playing a rash shot in the third ODI against South Africa in Cape Town on Sunday (January 24).

Virat Kohli was left stunned on the other end as Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant threw his wicket away playing a rash shot in the third ODI against South Africa in Cape Town on Sunday (January 24). Recently, Kohli had defended Pant after he was criticised for his poor shot selection during the Test series against the Proteas. However, Pant, who is known for his swashbuckling and aggressive style of batting, ended up making the same mistake once again. Pant came out to bat at number four after India lost Shikhar Dhawan's wicket on 116 runs in the 23rd over while chasing a challenging target of 288 runs. Pant went for a big shot the very first ball he faced from Andile Phehlukwayo and ended up paying the price. It was an unnecessary rash shot from the left-hander, who has been often criticised for his poor shot selection for the Indian team. Pant was caught in the deep by Sisanda Magala as he was sent packing on a duck on the very first ball he faced in the game. Kohli, who was batting at the other end, was left stunned and gave a deadly stare to Pant after yet another casual error. Kohli's reaction to Pant throwing his wicket away with a poor shot soon went viral on social media with fans criticising the left-hander for not valuing his wicket when playing for the country. Virat Kohli 's reaction itself describes Rishabh pant's bad performance today ....#Kohli #INDvsSAF #INDvsSA #KLRahul #CricketTwitter #BCCIPolitics #KingKohli #captaincy #ODI #whitewash pic.twitter.com/VJuFeZLo5j — sandeep ratna (@Vicharofsandeep) January 23, 2022 × Virat Kohli gave a stare to Rishabh Pant after he got out pic.twitter.com/1zS6DABSw8 — India Fantasy (@india_fantasy) January 23, 2022 × Also Read: 'He is just starting out': Rahul Dravid defends KL Rahul's captaincy after 3-0 whitewash against South Africa India were reduced to 118/3 after Pant's dismissal in the same over as Dhawan before Kohli, who played a fine knock of 65 runs off 84 balls, added a 38-run stand for the 4th wicket with Shreyas Iyer (26). Suryakumar Yadav scored 39 off 32 balls but the middle-order once again failed to deliver. Deepak Chahar then came up with a sensational cameo of 34-ball 54 to keep India in the race till the end but his efforts went in vain as the visitors fell short by 4 runs to lose the game and concede the ODI series 3-0. India had earlier lost the Test series against South Africa 2-1.

Virat Kohli gives deadly stare to Rishabh Pant after he throws away his wicket for a duck in 3rd ODI - WATCH

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has shared his views on Virat Kohli's decision to quit as India's Test captain which had left the cricket fraternity in shock last week. Akhtar believes India's disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup last year led to Kohli losing captaincy across all three formats of the game.

While Kohli had announced last year that he will be stepping down as India's T20I captain following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year, he was later replaced as ODI captain by Rohit Sharma. He decided to give up Test captaincy last week after India's 2-1 defeat in the three-match Test series against South Africa.

In a matter of a few months, Kohli went from being the captain of the Indian team across all three formats to being part of the team just as a pure batter. Akhtar said he was aware that Kohli would have landed in trouble had India not done well at the T20 World Cup 2021. He also suggested that there are people who are against the former India captain.

"It was a tight scenario for Virat. I was in Dubai and I was aware that if he wouldn't have won the T20 World Cup, it would have become a big problem for him and it did happen. There are lobbies against him and there are people against him and that is the reason why he stepped down," Akhtar was quoted as saying by India Today.

India had failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 after suffering back-to-back defeats in their first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand respectively. It was a disappointing show from the Men in Blue, who were one of the favourites to win the competition. Akhtar said these are testing times for Kohli and he needs to come out of it strongly.

"Whoever enjoys the star status, will always face problems but there's nothing to fear about. Anushka (Kohli's wife) is a very nice lady and Virat is a great guy. He just needs to be brave and not be afraid of anything. The whole country loves him, just that these are testing times for him and he needs to come strongly out of it," said the former Pakistan pacer.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-intensity-in-kl-rahuls-captaincy-virat-kohli-looks-disconnected-ex-pak-spinner-after-indias-poor-show-446686">No intensity in Rahul's captaincy, Virat Kohli looks disconnected: Ex-Pak spinner after India's poor show</a>

One of the greatest fast bowlers in the world, Akhtar has urged Kohli to enhance his value as a batter and enjoy his game. The Rawalpindi Express also advised the former Indian captain to channelise his anger in improving his performances on the pitch rather than showing it towards people.

"Now that he is off the hook, he just has to make sure that he enjoys his cricket. He is great and he should know that. He just has to enhance his value. He should know that he can't be imprisoned of his own bitterness. He should forget and forgive people and will become an even better human." Akhtar said.&nbsp;

"If he can give good performances in the next five-six months, he will be happy to have quit captaincy and would tell himself that he can score 120 international hundreds. His next 50 centuries will be because of the anger that he has now. And, this anger does not have to be reflected on people but in his batting," he added.

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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has shared his views on Virat Kohli's decision to quit as India's Test captain which had left the cricket fraternity in shock last week.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has shared his views on Virat Kohli's decision to quit as India's Test captain which had left the cricket fraternity in shock last week. Akhtar believes India's disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup last year led to Kohli losing captaincy across all three formats of the game. While Kohli had announced last year that he will be stepping down as India's T20I captain following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year, he was later replaced as ODI captain by Rohit Sharma. He decided to give up Test captaincy last week after India's 2-1 defeat in the three-match Test series against South Africa. In a matter of a few months, Kohli went from being the captain of the Indian team across all three formats to being part of the team just as a pure batter. Akhtar said he was aware that Kohli would have landed in trouble had India not done well at the T20 World Cup 2021. He also suggested that there are people who are against the former India captain. "It was a tight scenario for Virat. I was in Dubai and I was aware that if he wouldn't have won the T20 World Cup, it would have become a big problem for him and it did happen. There are lobbies against him and there are people against him and that is the reason why he stepped down," Akhtar was quoted as saying by India Today. India had failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 after suffering back-to-back defeats in their first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand respectively. It was a disappointing show from the Men in Blue, who were one of the favourites to win the competition. Akhtar said these are testing times for Kohli and he needs to come out of it strongly. "Whoever enjoys the star status, will always face problems but there's nothing to fear about. Anushka (Kohli's wife) is a very nice lady and Virat is a great guy. He just needs to be brave and not be afraid of anything. The whole country loves him, just that these are testing times for him and he needs to come strongly out of it," said the former Pakistan pacer. Also Read: No intensity in Rahul's captaincy, Virat Kohli looks disconnected: Ex-Pak spinner after India's poor show One of the greatest fast bowlers in the world, Akhtar has urged Kohli to enhance his value as a batter and enjoy his game. The Rawalpindi Express also advised the former Indian captain to channelise his anger in improving his performances on the pitch rather than showing it towards people. "Now that he is off the hook, he just has to make sure that he enjoys his cricket. He is great and he should know that. He just has to enhance his value. He should know that he can't be imprisoned of his own bitterness. He should forget and forgive people and will become an even better human." Akhtar said. "If he can give good performances in the next five-six months, he will be happy to have quit captaincy and would tell himself that he can score 120 international hundreds. His next 50 centuries will be because of the anger that he has now. And, this anger does not have to be reflected on people but in his batting," he added.

'There are people against him': Shoaib Akhtar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit India's Test captaincy

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at Virat Kohli's critics after the latter's decision to quit as India's Test captain. Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian team last week, a day after India's 2-1 loss in the Test series against South Africa away from home.&nbsp;

Kohli's decision came as a shock to many as he had expressed his desire to continue leading the Indian team in Tests and ODIs while stepping down as T20I captain in September last year. However, he was later sacked as ODI captain as the selectors wanted Rohit Sharma to lead the team in both white-ball formats. Kohli then had a public fallout with the BCCI after an explosive presser in December last year before quitting Test captaincy last week.

Shastri said Kohli could have easily led the Indian team in Tests for at least another two years but some people might not have been able to digest the fact that he could have reached 50-60 &nbsp;wins as captain. Kohli is the most successful Indian captain in Test history with 40 wins from 68 matches as the skipper of the side.

"Whether Virat could have continued to lead India in Tests. For sure, he could have led India for at least 2 years because next two years India would be playing at home and who is coming over - 9 and 10 jacks, going by the rankings. But he would have then made it to 50-60 wins under his captaincy and a lot of people will not be able to digest that fact," Shastri was quoted as saying by India Today.

"Two years, he could have carried on but we should respect his decision. In any other country, this kind of record is incredible. You won against Australia, England and lost 1-2 to South Africa but still, there are debates if he should be the captain or not," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-are-people-against-him-shoaib-akhtar-on-virat-kohlis-decision-to-quit-indias-test-captaincy-446852">'There are people against him': Shoaib Akhtar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit India's Test captaincy</a>

Kohli didn't only sign off as India's most successful Test captain but also the fourth-best captain all-time in the longest format overall. Only greats like Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have more Test wins as captain than Kohli. The 33-year-old&nbsp;needed just 14 more wins as captain to become the most successful Test captain of all time in Test history.

Kohli enjoyed a great relationship with Shastri during his tenure as the head coach of the Indian team and the duo inspired India to several memorable Test wins both at home and away from home. India dominated the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for years under the duo's leadership and were a force to reckon with in the longest format.

Talking about Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy, Shastri said the batting maestro might have felt the need to take some pressure off his back and focus only on his personal game. Shastri said it was an individual decision as Kohli must have felt he has already achieved what he wanted to as the captain of the Test team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-issues-warning-to-virat-kohli-when-you-are-captain-you-dont-worry-about-selection-446709">Harbhajan Singh issues warning to Virat Kohli: 'When you are captain you don't worry about selection'</a>

"Virat Kohli led India in 5-6 years in Tests and out of those, five years India was no. 1. No Indian captain has this kind of record and there are only a handful of captains world over with this kind of record. So when the most successful captain decides to step down as captain it's an individual's decision because his record of 40 wins is unprecedented," said Shastri.

"So he only knows how much is he enjoying captaincy. When Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni were not enjoying captaincy, they left. Similarly, when Virat thought that he had won 40 matches, six years he had been leading and now he wants to enjoy his cricket. He wants to focus on his batting and release a bit of pressure and it happens with a lot of individuals," he added.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at Virat Kohli's critics after the latter's decision to quit as India's Test captain. Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian team last week, a day after India's 2-1 loss in the Test series against South Africa away from home.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at Virat Kohli's critics after the latter's decision to quit as India's Test captain. Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian team last week, a day after India's 2-1 loss in the Test series against South Africa away from home. Kohli's decision came as a shock to many as he had expressed his desire to continue leading the Indian team in Tests and ODIs while stepping down as T20I captain in September last year. However, he was later sacked as ODI captain as the selectors wanted Rohit Sharma to lead the team in both white-ball formats. Kohli then had a public fallout with the BCCI after an explosive presser in December last year before quitting Test captaincy last week. Shastri said Kohli could have easily led the Indian team in Tests for at least another two years but some people might not have been able to digest the fact that he could have reached 50-60 wins as captain. Kohli is the most successful Indian captain in Test history with 40 wins from 68 matches as the skipper of the side. "Whether Virat could have continued to lead India in Tests. For sure, he could have led India for at least 2 years because next two years India would be playing at home and who is coming over - 9 and 10 jacks, going by the rankings. But he would have then made it to 50-60 wins under his captaincy and a lot of people will not be able to digest that fact," Shastri was quoted as saying by India Today. "Two years, he could have carried on but we should respect his decision. In any other country, this kind of record is incredible. You won against Australia, England and lost 1-2 to South Africa but still, there are debates if he should be the captain or not," he added. Also Read: 'There are people against him': Shoaib Akhtar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit India's Test captaincy Kohli didn't only sign off as India's most successful Test captain but also the fourth-best captain all-time in the longest format overall. Only greats like Graeme Smith (53), Ricky Ponting (48), and Steve Waugh (41) have more Test wins as captain than Kohli. The 33-year-old needed just 14 more wins as captain to become the most successful Test captain of all time in Test history. Kohli enjoyed a great relationship with Shastri during his tenure as the head coach of the Indian team and the duo inspired India to several memorable Test wins both at home and away from home. India dominated the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for years under the duo's leadership and were a force to reckon with in the longest format. Talking about Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy, Shastri said the batting maestro might have felt the need to take some pressure off his back and focus only on his personal game. Shastri said it was an individual decision as Kohli must have felt he has already achieved what he wanted to as the captain of the Test team. Also Read: Harbhajan Singh issues warning to Virat Kohli: 'When you are captain you don't worry about selection' "Virat Kohli led India in 5-6 years in Tests and out of those, five years India was no. 1. No Indian captain has this kind of record and there are only a handful of captains world over with this kind of record. So when the most successful captain decides to step down as captain it's an individual's decision because his record of 40 wins is unprecedented," said Shastri. "So he only knows how much is he enjoying captaincy. When Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni were not enjoying captaincy, they left. Similarly, when Virat thought that he had won 40 matches, six years he had been leading and now he wants to enjoy his cricket. He wants to focus on his batting and release a bit of pressure and it happens with a lot of individuals," he added.

Lot of people wouldn't have been able to digest Virat Kohli reaching 50-60 wins as Test captain: Ravi Shastri

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels current India head coach Rahul Dravid has a lot of challenges lying ahead of him amid the difficult phase in Indian cricket. Indian cricket is in turmoil ever since Virat Kohli decided to step down as the captain of the Test side after the team's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded Test series against South Africa.

While he had himself decided to leave T20I captaincy last year, Kohli was replaced as the ODI captain by Rohit Sharma in December last year before deciding to quit Test captaincy as well. In Rohit's absence, KL Rahul is currently leading the Indian team in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa and there have been questions over his leadership credentials after the Men in Blue suffered back-to-back defeats in the first two games of the series.

After losing the first ODI by 31 runs, India lost the second game by seven wickets on Friday to concede the three-match series as the hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead. Akhtar said Indian cricket is not going down after Kohli's downfall as the leader of the team but Dravid has a big job as the head coach.

The former Pakistan pacer made a glaring remark on Dravid and said the legendary cricketer will have to prove he is not an overrated coach.&nbsp;

"No, Indian cricket is not going down. You have to take control of the situation. Rahul Dravid has a big job in his hands. I hope people don't say that he's an overrated coach. He has to prove that, and obviously he has big shoes to fill in the place of Ravi Shastri. He has a big task ahead, let's see how he performs," Akhtar told PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-dont-you-look-at-fast-bowlers-shoaib-akhtar-backs-jasprit-bumrah-to-become-indias-next-captain-446897">Shoaib Akhtar backs Jasprit Bumrah to become India's next captain</a>

Dravid is working with the Indian senior team for the first time in his coaching career but has been in the BCCI system since 2014. He was the head coach of the Indian U-19 team for four years and inspired the U-19 team to glory at the 2018 U-19 World Cup. He has also worked with the India A team and a couple of IPL franchises.

Dravid was appointed as India's head coach last year after former head coach Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup 2021.

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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels current India head coach Rahul Dravid has a lot of challenges lying ahead of him amid the difficult phase in Indian cricket.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar feels current India head coach Rahul Dravid has a lot of challenges lying ahead of him amid the difficult phase in Indian cricket. Indian cricket is in turmoil ever since Virat Kohli decided to step down as the captain of the Test side after the team's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded Test series against South Africa. While he had himself decided to leave T20I captaincy last year, Kohli was replaced as the ODI captain by Rohit Sharma in December last year before deciding to quit Test captaincy as well. In Rohit's absence, KL Rahul is currently leading the Indian team in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa and there have been questions over his leadership credentials after the Men in Blue suffered back-to-back defeats in the first two games of the series. After losing the first ODI by 31 runs, India lost the second game by seven wickets on Friday to concede the three-match series as the hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead. Akhtar said Indian cricket is not going down after Kohli's downfall as the leader of the team but Dravid has a big job as the head coach. The former Pakistan pacer made a glaring remark on Dravid and said the legendary cricketer will have to prove he is not an overrated coach. "No, Indian cricket is not going down. You have to take control of the situation. Rahul Dravid has a big job in his hands. I hope people don't say that he's an overrated coach. He has to prove that, and obviously he has big shoes to fill in the place of Ravi Shastri. He has a big task ahead, let's see how he performs," Akhtar told PTI. Also Read: Shoaib Akhtar backs Jasprit Bumrah to become India's next captain Dravid is working with the Indian senior team for the first time in his coaching career but has been in the BCCI system since 2014. He was the head coach of the Indian U-19 team for four years and inspired the U-19 team to glory at the 2018 U-19 World Cup. He has also worked with the India A team and a couple of IPL franchises. Dravid was appointed as India's head coach last year after former head coach Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup 2021.

Rahul Dravid has a big task ahead, has to prove he is not an overrated coach: Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has urged India to look at grooming premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as their next long-term captain after the Virat Kohli captaincy saga. Kohli, who stepped down as the Test captain of the Indian team last week, is no more leading the team across all three formats and will continue playing only as a pure batter.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma is currently India's designated white-ball captain while the selectors are yet to take a call on who should lead the team in Tests after Kohli's exit. While Rohit remains the favourite to take charge in the longest format as well, there are a number of other contenders for the top job with the likes of KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant in the fray.

While lamenting the general notion to pick batters as the captain of international teams, Akhtar suggested fast bowlers too can be great captains. The former Pakistan pacer, who holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket, suggested Bumrah can be groomed as a leader and should be made vice-captain for now with Rohit already in charge in limited-overs formats.

"Why don't you look at fast bowlers as captain. Kapil Dev was a fast bowler, wasn't he a great captain? I don't know why there is this notion that batsmen are more clever than us. For Pakistan, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis have all been captains," Akhtar was quoted as saying in an interview with Sports Today.

"A fast bowler always goes for a win. I am not saying that the batters don't but it is a little different. Jasprit Bumrah should be made the vice-captain and groomed for captaincy. Groom fast bowlers and all-rounders. This trend of thinking that only batters can be captain is wrong," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-are-people-against-him-shoaib-akhtar-on-virat-kohlis-decision-to-quit-indias-test-captaincy-446852">'There are people against him': Shoaib Akhtar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit India's Test captaincy</a>

Bumrah was recently asked about potentially leading the Indian Test team after Kohli's resignation. The fast bowler, who is a vital cog of the team across all formats, had said it will be an honour for him to captain the national side and that he is ready to give his best.

"If given opportunity it's an honour, but if not then also I will try to do whatever is required to the best of my ability. My focus is to do well," said Bumrah.

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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has urged India to look at grooming premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as their next long-term captain after the Virat Kohli captaincy saga.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has urged India to look at grooming premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as their next long-term captain after the Virat Kohli captaincy saga. Kohli, who stepped down as the Test captain of the Indian team last week, is no more leading the team across all three formats and will continue playing only as a pure batter. Rohit Sharma is currently India's designated white-ball captain while the selectors are yet to take a call on who should lead the team in Tests after Kohli's exit. While Rohit remains the favourite to take charge in the longest format as well, there are a number of other contenders for the top job with the likes of KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant in the fray. While lamenting the general notion to pick batters as the captain of international teams, Akhtar suggested fast bowlers too can be great captains. The former Pakistan pacer, who holds the record for bowling the fastest delivery in international cricket, suggested Bumrah can be groomed as a leader and should be made vice-captain for now with Rohit already in charge in limited-overs formats. "Why don't you look at fast bowlers as captain. Kapil Dev was a fast bowler, wasn't he a great captain? I don't know why there is this notion that batsmen are more clever than us. For Pakistan, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis have all been captains," Akhtar was quoted as saying in an interview with Sports Today. "A fast bowler always goes for a win. I am not saying that the batters don't but it is a little different. Jasprit Bumrah should be made the vice-captain and groomed for captaincy. Groom fast bowlers and all-rounders. This trend of thinking that only batters can be captain is wrong," he added. Also Read: 'There are people against him': Shoaib Akhtar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit India's Test captaincy Bumrah was recently asked about potentially leading the Indian Test team after Kohli's resignation. The fast bowler, who is a vital cog of the team across all formats, had said it will be an honour for him to captain the national side and that he is ready to give his best. "If given opportunity it's an honour, but if not then also I will try to do whatever is required to the best of my ability. My focus is to do well," said Bumrah.

'Why don't you look at fast bowlers?': Shoaib Akhtar backs Jasprit Bumrah to become India's next captain

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. 
 
The three ODIs will now be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and three T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. 
 
The decision to limit the series to two venues instead of six as originally announced has been done to mitigate bio-security risks by cutting down on travel and movement of the teams, match officials, broadcasters, and other stakeholders. 
 
Revised schedule: 
 
1st ODI: February 6, Ahmedabad 
 
2nd ODI: February 9, Ahmedabad 
 
3rd ODI: February 11, Ahmedabad 
 
1st T20I: February 16, Kolkata 
 
2nd T20I: February 18, Kolkata 
 
3rd T20I: February 20, Kolkata 
 
--IANS 
 
cs/bsk 
&nbsp;

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. The three ODIs will now be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and three T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The decision to limit the series to two venues instead of six as originally announced has been done to mitigate bio-security risks by cutting down on travel and movement of the teams, match officials, broadcasters, and other stakeholders. Revised schedule: 1st ODI: February 6, Ahmedabad 2nd ODI: February 9, Ahmedabad 3rd ODI: February 11, Ahmedabad 1st T20I: February 16, Kolkata 2nd T20I: February 18, Kolkata 3rd T20I: February 20, Kolkata --IANS cs/bsk

BCCI revises schedule for India's home series against West Indies, ODIs shifted to Ahmedabad

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struggled to find his form for India for quite a while now as his rough patch continues in international cricket. In the ongoing ODI series between India and South Africa, Bhuvneshwar has remained wicket-less in the first two matches and has been taken for plenty of runs by the South African batters.

The senior pacer's form is concerning for the Indian team as he has been failing to pick wickets at regular intervals in white-ball cricket and is no more the death-over specialist that he used to be during his peak years for India. Bhuvneshwar has so far bowled 18 overs in the first two matches against South Africa and has conceded 131 runs without taking a wicket.

After losing the series-opener of the three-match ODI series by 31 runs, India lost the must-win second ODI against South Africa by 7 wickets on Saturday to go 2-0 down and concede the series. Speaking about India's disappointing show in the series so far, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar said India need to tweak their bowling attack in white-ball cricket going forward.

Gavaskar has urged the Indian team to look beyond Bhuvneshwar despite his experience and wants the management to back someone like Deepak Chahar, who can take the senior pacer's spot in the squad. Gavaskar lamented Bhuvneshwar's poor form in the last couple of years and suggested it's time to replace him with Chahar.

&nbsp;"Bhuvi has been a tremendous servant of Indian cricket but in the last year or so, even in franchise level T20 cricket, he has been expensive. Not so much at the start of the innings but towards the end. He used to bowl those brilliant yorkers and slower deliveries, but those are not working anymore," Gavaskar told Sports Today.

"That can happen, the opposition is studying you all the time and they will know how to be prepared for it. So maybe it is time to look at somebody else.

"I think it's time to look at Deepak Chahar now. He is younger, pretty much the same kind of bowler and bats handily down the order," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-issues-warning-to-virat-kohli-when-you-are-captain-you-dont-worry-about-selection-446709">Harbhajan Singh issues warning to Virat Kohli: 'When you are captain you don't worry about selection'</a>

India are expected to make some changes in the playing XI and give game time to the likes of Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad and others in the third and final ODI of the ongoing series against South Africa on Sunday (January 23). It remains to be seen if India will stick with Bhuvneshwar or replace him with someone like Chahar in the playing XI.

&nbsp;

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struggled to find his form for India for quite a while now as his rough patch continues in international cricket. In the ongoing ODI series between India and South Africa, Bhuvneshwar has remained wicket-less in the first two matches and has been taken for plenty of runs by the South African batters.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struggled to find his form for India for quite a while now as his rough patch continues in international cricket. In the ongoing ODI series between India and South Africa, Bhuvneshwar has remained wicket-less in the first two matches and has been taken for plenty of runs by the South African batters. The senior pacer's form is concerning for the Indian team as he has been failing to pick wickets at regular intervals in white-ball cricket and is no more the death-over specialist that he used to be during his peak years for India. Bhuvneshwar has so far bowled 18 overs in the first two matches against South Africa and has conceded 131 runs without taking a wicket. After losing the series-opener of the three-match ODI series by 31 runs, India lost the must-win second ODI against South Africa by 7 wickets on Saturday to go 2-0 down and concede the series. Speaking about India's disappointing show in the series so far, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar said India need to tweak their bowling attack in white-ball cricket going forward. Gavaskar has urged the Indian team to look beyond Bhuvneshwar despite his experience and wants the management to back someone like Deepak Chahar, who can take the senior pacer's spot in the squad. Gavaskar lamented Bhuvneshwar's poor form in the last couple of years and suggested it's time to replace him with Chahar. "Bhuvi has been a tremendous servant of Indian cricket but in the last year or so, even in franchise level T20 cricket, he has been expensive. Not so much at the start of the innings but towards the end. He used to bowl those brilliant yorkers and slower deliveries, but those are not working anymore," Gavaskar told Sports Today. "That can happen, the opposition is studying you all the time and they will know how to be prepared for it. So maybe it is time to look at somebody else. "I think it's time to look at Deepak Chahar now. He is younger, pretty much the same kind of bowler and bats handily down the order," he added. Also Read: Harbhajan Singh issues warning to Virat Kohli: 'When you are captain you don't worry about selection' India are expected to make some changes in the playing XI and give game time to the likes of Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad and others in the third and final ODI of the ongoing series against South Africa on Sunday (January 23). It remains to be seen if India will stick with Bhuvneshwar or replace him with someone like Chahar in the playing XI.

'Time to look at somebody else': Sunil Gavaskar suggests Bhuvneshwar Kumar's replacement for Team India

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning to Virat Kohli after his flop show in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (January 21). Kohli was dismissed for a five-ball duck as India lost the game by seven wickets to concede the three-match ODI series against the Proteas. With back-to-back wins in the first two games, South Africa have taken an unassailable lead and clinched the series.

Kohli, who has not been at his best with the willow for a while now, is currently undergoing a rough patch in his international career. From being the captain of the Indian team across all three formats just a few months ago, Kohli is now a part of the side only as a pure batter.

While it was his choice to leave the T20I captaincy last year, he was later replaced as the ODI captain of the side by the BCCI and the selectors before leaving Test captaincy last week. Kohli's place in the playing XI was always safe when he was captaining India across all formats, however, the pressure has increased on him post leaving captaincy.

Harbhajan believes Kohli no more has a guaranteed spot in the playing XI in white-ball cricket and will have to perform consistently to ensure his place in the team is safe. Harbhajan cited the examples of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev while issuing a warning to Kohli that only performances will guarantee him a spot in the team going forward.

"When a captain steps down after seven years, a lot of people feel surprised in and outside the team. I myself was very surprised that he perhaps made this decision in a hurry. But obviously, Virat knows what's in his heart, what are his future plans and what he wants to do in the future. But when you are captain, things are different. As a batter, he'll have a different pressure upon him. We all know he's a big player but when you are captain you don't have to worry about your selection. You are always selected," Harbhajan said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"But no matter how big a player you are - whether you are Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, (Sunil) Gavaskar, or anyone - you feel the pressure when you don't perform. He'll feel a pressure that wasn't there for the past 7 years. But I also want to say that in these seven years he's performed the best in world cricket as a captain. I hope his performance as a batter continues to be equally good and he keeps winning Team India matches as he did as a captain," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/did-sourav-ganguly-plan-to-send-show-cause-notice-to-virat-kohli-bcci-president-breaks-silence-446644">Did Sourav Ganguly plan to send 'show-cause notice' to Virat Kohli? BCCI president breaks silence</a>

Kohli scored a fine half-century in the first ODI against the Proteas, however, his efforts went in vain as India failed to chase down the target of 297 runs and lost the game by 31 runs. The visitors lost the second ODI by seven wickets on Saturday to go 2-0 down and lose the three-match series.

&nbsp;

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning to Virat Kohli after his flop show in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (January 21). Kohli was dismissed for a five-ball duck as India lost the game by seven wickets to concede the three-match ODI series against the Proteas.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning to Virat Kohli after his flop show in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (January 21). Kohli was dismissed for a five-ball duck as India lost the game by seven wickets to concede the three-match ODI series against the Proteas. With back-to-back wins in the first two games, South Africa have taken an unassailable lead and clinched the series. Kohli, who has not been at his best with the willow for a while now, is currently undergoing a rough patch in his international career. From being the captain of the Indian team across all three formats just a few months ago, Kohli is now a part of the side only as a pure batter. While it was his choice to leave the T20I captaincy last year, he was later replaced as the ODI captain of the side by the BCCI and the selectors before leaving Test captaincy last week. Kohli's place in the playing XI was always safe when he was captaining India across all formats, however, the pressure has increased on him post leaving captaincy. Harbhajan believes Kohli no more has a guaranteed spot in the playing XI in white-ball cricket and will have to perform consistently to ensure his place in the team is safe. Harbhajan cited the examples of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev while issuing a warning to Kohli that only performances will guarantee him a spot in the team going forward. "When a captain steps down after seven years, a lot of people feel surprised in and outside the team. I myself was very surprised that he perhaps made this decision in a hurry. But obviously, Virat knows what's in his heart, what are his future plans and what he wants to do in the future. But when you are captain, things are different. As a batter, he'll have a different pressure upon him. We all know he's a big player but when you are captain you don't have to worry about your selection. You are always selected," Harbhajan said in a video on his YouTube channel. "But no matter how big a player you are - whether you are Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, (Sunil) Gavaskar, or anyone - you feel the pressure when you don't perform. He'll feel a pressure that wasn't there for the past 7 years. But I also want to say that in these seven years he's performed the best in world cricket as a captain. I hope his performance as a batter continues to be equally good and he keeps winning Team India matches as he did as a captain," he added. Also Read: Did Sourav Ganguly plan to send 'show-cause notice' to Virat Kohli? BCCI president breaks silence Kohli scored a fine half-century in the first ODI against the Proteas, however, his efforts went in vain as India failed to chase down the target of 297 runs and lost the game by 31 runs. The visitors lost the second ODI by seven wickets on Saturday to go 2-0 down and lose the three-match series.

Harbhajan Singh issues warning to Virat Kohli: 'When you are captain you don't worry about selection'

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has slammed&nbsp;KL Rahul for the lack of intensity in his captaincy after India's seven-wicket loss in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (November 21). India failed to defend a total of 287 runs after a below-par bowling show as South Africa clinched the three-match ODI series with back-to-back wins in the first two games.

While the likes of Virat Kohli (0) and Shreyas Iyer (11) were dismissed cheaply, the Indian bowlers were taken to the cleaners by South African openers Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock. Malan slammed a brilliant 91 off 108 balls while De Kock scored a quickfire 78 off 66 balls. The duo posted an opening stand of 132 runs to set up a comfortable win for the hosts and bat India out of the game.

Stand-in skipper Rahul, who has been leading India in the absence of permanent captain Rohit Sharma, has been facing the flak from all corners over the team's poor show. Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Kaneria criticised Rahul and said there was no intensity in his captaincy. The former Pakistan spinner also alleged that there appears to be a divide in the Indian dressing room with former skipper Kohli looking disconnected from the team.

"There's no intensity in KL Rahul's captaincy. Virat looks distant, disconnected from the team. When a review is being taken, he doesn't close in as much and he isn't giving a lot of input to the captain. You get to know what's going inside a cricketer's heart by judging their body language," said Kaneria.

"There seems to be a division within the team. Team India isn't showing the intensity and the approach that Virat used to bring to the team (when he was captain). Going by KL Rahul's captaincy, Rohit Sharma should come back as captain. KL Rahul is not ready to lead the team," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/did-sourav-ganguly-planned-to-send-show-cause-notice-to-virat-kohli-bcci-president-breaks-silence-446644">Did Sourav Ganguly plan to send 'show-cause notice' to Virat Kohli? BCCI president breaks silence</a>

After losing the Test series 2-1, India would have hoped to bounce back strongly in the ongoing ODI series against the Proteas. However, the Rahul-led side suffered back-to-back losses in the first two matches to concede the series. India will be hoping to bag a consolation win and finish the series on a high when the two teams meet in the third and final ODI of the series in Cape Town on Sunday.

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has slammed KL Rahul for the lack of intensity in his captaincy after India's seven-wicket loss in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (November 21).

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has slammed KL Rahul for the lack of intensity in his captaincy after India's seven-wicket loss in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (November 21). India failed to defend a total of 287 runs after a below-par bowling show as South Africa clinched the three-match ODI series with back-to-back wins in the first two games. While the likes of Virat Kohli (0) and Shreyas Iyer (11) were dismissed cheaply, the Indian bowlers were taken to the cleaners by South African openers Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock. Malan slammed a brilliant 91 off 108 balls while De Kock scored a quickfire 78 off 66 balls. The duo posted an opening stand of 132 runs to set up a comfortable win for the hosts and bat India out of the game. Stand-in skipper Rahul, who has been leading India in the absence of permanent captain Rohit Sharma, has been facing the flak from all corners over the team's poor show. Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Kaneria criticised Rahul and said there was no intensity in his captaincy. The former Pakistan spinner also alleged that there appears to be a divide in the Indian dressing room with former skipper Kohli looking disconnected from the team. "There's no intensity in KL Rahul's captaincy. Virat looks distant, disconnected from the team. When a review is being taken, he doesn't close in as much and he isn't giving a lot of input to the captain. You get to know what's going inside a cricketer's heart by judging their body language," said Kaneria. "There seems to be a division within the team. Team India isn't showing the intensity and the approach that Virat used to bring to the team (when he was captain). Going by KL Rahul's captaincy, Rohit Sharma should come back as captain. KL Rahul is not ready to lead the team," he added. Also Read: Did Sourav Ganguly plan to send 'show-cause notice' to Virat Kohli? BCCI president breaks silence After losing the Test series 2-1, India would have hoped to bounce back strongly in the ongoing ODI series against the Proteas. However, the Rahul-led side suffered back-to-back losses in the first two matches to concede the series. India will be hoping to bag a consolation win and finish the series on a high when the two teams meet in the third and final ODI of the series in Cape Town on Sunday.

No intensity in KL Rahul's captaincy, Virat Kohli looks disconnected: Ex-Pak spinner after India's poor show

The last few months have not been easy for &nbsp;Virat Kohli, who is no more the captain of the Indian team across all three formats after a public fallout with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The captaincy saga started when Kohli announced in September last year that he will be stepping down as the T20I captain of the team post the T20 World Cup 2021.

Kohli was later removed as the ODI captain as well despite having expressed his desire to continue leading India in Tests and ODIs. After being sacked as ODI captain, Kohli gave an explosive press conference ahead of India's tour of South Africa in December where he went on to counter some of the claims made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

Kohli contradicted Ganguly's comments that he had been asked by the BCCI president to not give up T20I captaincy. He also revealed he was informed about his sacking as ODI captain only ninety minutes before the decision was made official. The selectors wanted to have only one white-ball captain for India which led to them removing Kohli as the ODI skipper.

Kohli left India's Test captaincy last week, a day after the team's 2-1 defeat against South Africa in the recently-concluded Test series. Just days after his decision to quit Test captaincy, reports emerged that all was not well between Kohli and the BCCI and that Ganguly had planned to send a 'show-cause' notice to Kohli after his explosive presser in December.

The report suggested that Ganguly was not happy with the comments made by Kohli in the presser. The BCCI president has finally broken his silence on the matter and dismissed the reports calling them fake. "Not true at all," Ganguly was quoted as saying to Indian Express on the reports of him planning a show-cause notice for Kohli.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-ganguly-wanted-to-issue-showcause-notice-to-kohli-following-his-explosive-presser-report-446249">BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue show-cause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser</a>

<h2>Focus back on Virat Kohli the batter&nbsp;</h2>

After leaving captaincy across all formats of the game, the focus is bac on Kohli the batter. The former India skipper has not been on top of his game in international cricket for a while now and is still looking to find his old consistency back. Kohli, who hasn't scored an international ton since 2019, will be hoping to bounce back strongly and win matches for India as a batter going forward.

The last few months have not been easy for Virat Kohli, who is no more the captain of the Indian team across all three formats after a public fallout with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The last few months have not been easy for Virat Kohli, who is no more the captain of the Indian team across all three formats after a public fallout with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The captaincy saga started when Kohli announced in September last year that he will be stepping down as the T20I captain of the team post the T20 World Cup 2021. Kohli was later removed as the ODI captain as well despite having expressed his desire to continue leading India in Tests and ODIs. After being sacked as ODI captain, Kohli gave an explosive press conference ahead of India's tour of South Africa in December where he went on to counter some of the claims made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. Kohli contradicted Ganguly's comments that he had been asked by the BCCI president to not give up T20I captaincy. He also revealed he was informed about his sacking as ODI captain only ninety minutes before the decision was made official. The selectors wanted to have only one white-ball captain for India which led to them removing Kohli as the ODI skipper. Kohli left India's Test captaincy last week, a day after the team's 2-1 defeat against South Africa in the recently-concluded Test series. Just days after his decision to quit Test captaincy, reports emerged that all was not well between Kohli and the BCCI and that Ganguly had planned to send a 'show-cause' notice to Kohli after his explosive presser in December. The report suggested that Ganguly was not happy with the comments made by Kohli in the presser. The BCCI president has finally broken his silence on the matter and dismissed the reports calling them fake. "Not true at all," Ganguly was quoted as saying to Indian Express on the reports of him planning a show-cause notice for Kohli. Also Read: BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue show-cause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser Focus back on Virat Kohli the batter After leaving captaincy across all formats of the game, the focus is bac on Kohli the batter. The former India skipper has not been on top of his game in international cricket for a while now and is still looking to find his old consistency back. Kohli, who hasn't scored an international ton since 2019, will be hoping to bounce back strongly and win matches for India as a batter going forward.

Did Sourav Ganguly plan to send 'show-cause notice' to Virat Kohli? BCCI president breaks silence

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months.&nbsp;In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE.

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🇮🇳 ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/Ds7okjhj9J">pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1438478585518456832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After India's colossal failure in the showpiece event, a lot of changes were expected. However, none of the connoisseurs of the game would have foreseen the plethora of changes that came into picture since then.&nbsp;

While Rohit Sharma succeeded Kohli as the T20I captain, being rewarded for his envious record as IPL captain, the latter remained the ODI and Test captain (he himself wanted to carry on as skipper in the longer formats as per his T20I captaincy resignation tweet). Nonetheless, a twist in the tale unfolded just before India boarded the flight for the ongoing South Africa trip.&nbsp;

Last year on December 8, BCCI announced Rohit as the limited-overs captain altogether, sacking Kohli from the top job in the 50-over format. The announcement was made courtesy a two-line Twitter post from the board's official handle:

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The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI &amp; T20I teams going forward.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/hcg92sPtCa">pic.twitter.com/hcg92sPtCa</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1468577752953483264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A thank you post for outgoing captain Kohli followed a day later, i.e. on December 9.&nbsp;

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A leader who led the side with grit, passion &amp; determination. 🇮🇳🔝 
 
Thank you Captain <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a>!👏👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/gz7r6KCuWF">pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1468919777120829441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The lack of prior communication -- in terms of a proper official statement by the BCCI -- and the late Twitter post irked many Indian cricket fans, who&nbsp;remained baffled with the sudden turn of events. What was cooking?&nbsp;

All eyes, thus, shifted to BCCI's customary press conference before Team India's departure for the rainbow nation. On December 15, Kohli spearheaded the presser and dropped few more bombs with his answers in an affirmative tone.&nbsp;

While BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had already conveyed that the board officials and national selectors had requested Kohli to remain the T20I captain,&nbsp;the star Indian batter contradicted from the claims. "I had told BCCI that I want to quit T20I captaincy. I wasn't told to reconsider it. It was received well, without any hesitation; I was told it's a progressive step and it's in the right direction. I had told them that I want to continue ODI and Test captaincy unless the office bearers think otherwise. I had given that option to them," Kohli had stated.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-ganguly-wanted-to-issue-showcause-notice-to-kohli-following-his-explosive-presser-report-446249">BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report</a>

In addition, Kohli made it clear that he had no prior communication with the national selectors regarding the ODI captaincy switch. He revealed that he came to know about the decision only 90 minutes prior to the official announcement.&nbsp;

Thus, this opened a pandora of box. Kohli's explosive presser exposed the dire straits between the board, selectors and the superstar cricketer.

In response to the presser, Ganguly made it clear that the board will not make any official statement due to ongoing&nbsp;SA tour. "No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly told local mediapersons after the presser.

Nonetheless, chief selector Chetan Sharma made heads turn, stating that Kohli was asked by officials and selectors to remain T20I captain.&nbsp; "When meeting started, it was a surprise for everybody. If the World T20 is round the corner and you hear something like this, what will be your reaction? Everyone present in that meeting had told him that he should rethink his decision (to quit T20 captaincy) and we can talk about it after the World Cup. All selectors felt at that time that this can affect us in the World Cup. It was told to Virat for sake of Indian cricket, please continue as the captain and it was told by everybody present in the meeting. The convenors were there, board officials were there. Sabhi ne bola hai (everyone told him). Who won’t tell? If this news comes to you, you are in a shock. But since we had a World T20 to play, we never wanted it to affect team," the former India pacer told on December 31.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-match-makes-virat-kohli-turned-down-bccis-offer-to-play-farewell-test-as-captain-report-445316">'One match makes...': Virat Kohli turned down BCCI's offer to play farewell Test as captain - Report</a>

When the Indian cricket fans were busy trying to make sense of the mysterious turn of events, Kohli dropped another bomb -- probably throwing his last roll of the&nbsp;dice&nbsp;-- by announcing his resignation as the Test captain post India's 2-1 series loss to SA in the African nation.&nbsp;

On January 15, Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/huBL6zZ7fZ">pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1482340422987169794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Following Kohli's resignation, ending his Team India captaincy tenure altogether, many reactions came in a flash. Needless to say, Ganguly's response was most awaited. Few hours after Kohli's announcement, Ganguly wrote, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli."

A battle with no winner but plenty of losers!

So far, there is total chaos surrounding Indian cricket. It reminds the 90s fans of the infamous Greg Chappell-era.&nbsp;

As an Indian cricket loyalist, the cracks became evident on the day BCCI made the ODI captaincy switch. The lack of communication and late tribute for Kohli -- yes, even a timely Twitter post for some big announcements means a lot in the social media-era -- triggered the collapse.&nbsp;

Ganguly statement prior to Kohli's presser was entirely uncalled for (similarly, the latter's T20I captaincy resignation announcement can also be termed 'untimely'; i.e. a month before the World Cup). Being the BCCI chief, he could've shifted the query towards the national selectors. After all, it was their unanimous choice to sack Kohli and have one white-ball captain.

Former India cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had lashed out at the BCCI chief and told Khaleej Times, "It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-had-no-pressure-from-the-board-selectors-bcci-treasurer-reacts-to-kohli-leaving-test-captaincy-445254">Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy</a>

Further, Kohli's presser fanned the fire. Chetan Sharma's statements led to more questions than answers. The 33-year-old Kohli's Test resignation -- a format where he excelled as captain -- raised more eyebrows; acting as a confirmation to many Indian cricket fans that the superstar batter chose to side away from all the negativity and war of words.&nbsp;

In the ongoing India-SA ODIs, Kohli has scores of 51 and 0 so far. While he didn't dominate entirely in the first outing, he fell for a five-ball duck in the second and penultimate ODI. Fans are already concerned that the BCCI row has taken a lot out of Kohli, who has clearly lacked intensity on the field.&nbsp;

It is NOT looking good

Irrespective of how things have unfolded, Kohli's presence, intensity and contribution remain&nbsp;of utmost importance to Team India across formats.

Thus, one wishes that the tug of war between Kohli and BCCI is over. For now, it is taking a lot out of a talismanic batter and also putting BCCI under the scanner. For the unversed, on&nbsp;Thursday (January 20), reports suggested&nbsp;that Ganguly prevented issuing a show cause notice to Kohli for his explosive presser.&nbsp;A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli." Hence, the writing is clearly on the wall as the recipe being cooked is surely nothing less than a disaster.&nbsp;

If all this continues, India will lose many battles&nbsp;even before taking&nbsp;on oppositions on the field. People following the India-SA series have already concluded that the national side is looking clueless with each passing game in the African nation.

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months. In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE.

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months. In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE. 🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021 × After India's colossal failure in the showpiece event, a lot of changes were expected. However, none of the connoisseurs of the game would have foreseen the plethora of changes that came into picture since then. While Rohit Sharma succeeded Kohli as the T20I captain, being rewarded for his envious record as IPL captain, the latter remained the ODI and Test captain (he himself wanted to carry on as skipper in the longer formats as per his T20I captaincy resignation tweet). Nonetheless, a twist in the tale unfolded just before India boarded the flight for the ongoing South Africa trip. Last year on December 8, BCCI announced Rohit as the limited-overs captain altogether, sacking Kohli from the top job in the 50-over format. The announcement was made courtesy a two-line Twitter post from the board's official handle: The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams going forward.#TeamIndia | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/hcg92sPtCa — BCCI (@BCCI) December 8, 2021 × A thank you post for outgoing captain Kohli followed a day later, i.e. on December 9. A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝 Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF — BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021 × The lack of prior communication -- in terms of a proper official statement by the BCCI -- and the late Twitter post irked many Indian cricket fans, who remained baffled with the sudden turn of events. What was cooking? All eyes, thus, shifted to BCCI's customary press conference before Team India's departure for the rainbow nation. On December 15, Kohli spearheaded the presser and dropped few more bombs with his answers in an affirmative tone. While BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had already conveyed that the board officials and national selectors had requested Kohli to remain the T20I captain, the star Indian batter contradicted from the claims. "I had told BCCI that I want to quit T20I captaincy. I wasn't told to reconsider it. It was received well, without any hesitation; I was told it's a progressive step and it's in the right direction. I had told them that I want to continue ODI and Test captaincy unless the office bearers think otherwise. I had given that option to them," Kohli had stated. ALSO READ | BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report In addition, Kohli made it clear that he had no prior communication with the national selectors regarding the ODI captaincy switch. He revealed that he came to know about the decision only 90 minutes prior to the official announcement. Thus, this opened a pandora of box. Kohli's explosive presser exposed the dire straits between the board, selectors and the superstar cricketer. In response to the presser, Ganguly made it clear that the board will not make any official statement due to ongoing SA tour. "No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly told local mediapersons after the presser. Nonetheless, chief selector Chetan Sharma made heads turn, stating that Kohli was asked by officials and selectors to remain T20I captain. "When meeting started, it was a surprise for everybody. If the World T20 is round the corner and you hear something like this, what will be your reaction? Everyone present in that meeting had told him that he should rethink his decision (to quit T20 captaincy) and we can talk about it after the World Cup. All selectors felt at that time that this can affect us in the World Cup. It was told to Virat for sake of Indian cricket, please continue as the captain and it was told by everybody present in the meeting. The convenors were there, board officials were there. Sabhi ne bola hai (everyone told him). Who won’t tell? If this news comes to you, you are in a shock. But since we had a World T20 to play, we never wanted it to affect team," the former India pacer told on December 31. ALSO READ | 'One match makes...': Virat Kohli turned down BCCI's offer to play farewell Test as captain - Report When the Indian cricket fans were busy trying to make sense of the mysterious turn of events, Kohli dropped another bomb -- probably throwing his last roll of the dice -- by announcing his resignation as the Test captain post India's 2-1 series loss to SA in the African nation. On January 15, Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × Following Kohli's resignation, ending his Team India captaincy tenure altogether, many reactions came in a flash. Needless to say, Ganguly's response was most awaited. Few hours after Kohli's announcement, Ganguly wrote, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli." A battle with no winner but plenty of losers! So far, there is total chaos surrounding Indian cricket. It reminds the 90s fans of the infamous Greg Chappell-era. As an Indian cricket loyalist, the cracks became evident on the day BCCI made the ODI captaincy switch. The lack of communication and late tribute for Kohli -- yes, even a timely Twitter post for some big announcements means a lot in the social media-era -- triggered the collapse. Ganguly statement prior to Kohli's presser was entirely uncalled for (similarly, the latter's T20I captaincy resignation announcement can also be termed 'untimely'; i.e. a month before the World Cup). Being the BCCI chief, he could've shifted the query towards the national selectors. After all, it was their unanimous choice to sack Kohli and have one white-ball captain. Former India cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had lashed out at the BCCI chief and told Khaleej Times, "It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak." ALSO READ | Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy Further, Kohli's presser fanned the fire. Chetan Sharma's statements led to more questions than answers. The 33-year-old Kohli's Test resignation -- a format where he excelled as captain -- raised more eyebrows; acting as a confirmation to many Indian cricket fans that the superstar batter chose to side away from all the negativity and war of words. In the ongoing India-SA ODIs, Kohli has scores of 51 and 0 so far. While he didn't dominate entirely in the first outing, he fell for a five-ball duck in the second and penultimate ODI. Fans are already concerned that the BCCI row has taken a lot out of Kohli, who has clearly lacked intensity on the field. It is NOT looking good Irrespective of how things have unfolded, Kohli's presence, intensity and contribution remain of utmost importance to Team India across formats. Thus, one wishes that the tug of war between Kohli and BCCI is over. For now, it is taking a lot out of a talismanic batter and also putting BCCI under the scanner. For the unversed, on Thursday (January 20), reports suggested that Ganguly prevented issuing a show cause notice to Kohli for his explosive presser. A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli." Hence, the writing is clearly on the wall as the recipe being cooked is surely nothing less than a disaster. If all this continues, India will lose many battles even before taking on oppositions on the field. People following the India-SA series have already concluded that the national side is looking clueless with each passing game in the African nation.

Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle?

South Africa bagged their second win on the trot in the ongoing three-match ODI series against India as they thrashed the visitors by seven wickets in the second ODI at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21). It was yet another dominant performance from the hosts, who chased down the target of 288 runs comfortably with seven wickets to spare.

Rishabh Pant's brilliant knock of 85 runs went in vain as India lost the game comprehensively and conceded the series with back-to-back defeats. It was a must-win game for the KL Rahul-led side after a 31-run loss in the series opener at the same venue. However, South Africa once again proved too good for the Men in Blue.

Opting to bat first, India got off to a decent start with a 63-run stand for the first wicket between openers Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. Aiden Markram drew the first blood for the Proteas as he got rid of Dhawan on 29 off 38 balls before Keshav Mahara sent Virat Kohli packing on a duck to pile misery on India.

However, Rahul then combined with Pant to steady the ship as the duo put together a 115-run stand for the third wicket. While Rahul scored 55 off 79 balls, Pant displayed some brilliant strokeplay in his quickfire 85 off just 71 balls. The wicket-keeper batter missed out on a well-deserved hundred but created the record for the highest individual score by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in an ODI in South Africa.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahuls-impact-as-a-batter-diminishes-when-he-captains-he-should-learn-from-virat-kohli-sanjay-manjrekar-446548">Rahul's impact as a batter diminishes when he captains, he should learn from Kohli: Sanjay Manjrekar</a>

With the help of half-centuries from Rahul, Pant and crucial cameos from Shardul Thakur (40) and R Ashwin (25), India posted a fighting total of 287 runs on the board in their quota of 50 overs. However, the bowlers let the visitors down as South Africa had chased down the target comfortably.

Openers Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock slammed half-centuries apiece to set up an easy chase for the hosts. While De Kock scored 78 off 66 balls laced with seven fours and three sixes, Malan missed out his century by just nine runs as he notched up a superb 91 off 108 balls.

The South African openers took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners and got the hosts off to a perfect start in the run-chase. The duo added a huge stand of 132 runs for the first wicket before handy knocks from skipper Temba Bavuma (35), Aiden Markram (37) and Rassie van der Dussen (37) helped South Africa overhaul the target with 11 balls to spare.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-breaks-rahul-dravids-record-to-achieve-elusive-feat-with-cracking-85-in-2nd-odi-vs-south-africa-446485">Pant breaks Dravid's record to achieve elusive feat with cracking 85 in 2nd ODI vs South Africa</a>

With the seven-wicket win in the second ODI, South Africa have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead and clinched the series. India will be looking to bounce back to winning ways and earn a consolation victory when the two teams lock horns in the third and final ODI on Sunday (January 23).

South Africa bagged their second win on the trot in the ongoing three-match ODI series against India as they thrashed the visitors by seven wickets in the second ODI at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21).

South Africa bagged their second win on the trot in the ongoing three-match ODI series against India as they thrashed the visitors by seven wickets in the second ODI at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21). It was yet another dominant performance from the hosts, who chased down the target of 288 runs comfortably with seven wickets to spare. Rishabh Pant's brilliant knock of 85 runs went in vain as India lost the game comprehensively and conceded the series with back-to-back defeats. It was a must-win game for the KL Rahul-led side after a 31-run loss in the series opener at the same venue. However, South Africa once again proved too good for the Men in Blue. Opting to bat first, India got off to a decent start with a 63-run stand for the first wicket between openers Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. Aiden Markram drew the first blood for the Proteas as he got rid of Dhawan on 29 off 38 balls before Keshav Mahara sent Virat Kohli packing on a duck to pile misery on India. However, Rahul then combined with Pant to steady the ship as the duo put together a 115-run stand for the third wicket. While Rahul scored 55 off 79 balls, Pant displayed some brilliant strokeplay in his quickfire 85 off just 71 balls. The wicket-keeper batter missed out on a well-deserved hundred but created the record for the highest individual score by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in an ODI in South Africa. Also Read: Rahul's impact as a batter diminishes when he captains, he should learn from Kohli: Sanjay Manjrekar With the help of half-centuries from Rahul, Pant and crucial cameos from Shardul Thakur (40) and R Ashwin (25), India posted a fighting total of 287 runs on the board in their quota of 50 overs. However, the bowlers let the visitors down as South Africa had chased down the target comfortably. Openers Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock slammed half-centuries apiece to set up an easy chase for the hosts. While De Kock scored 78 off 66 balls laced with seven fours and three sixes, Malan missed out his century by just nine runs as he notched up a superb 91 off 108 balls. The South African openers took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners and got the hosts off to a perfect start in the run-chase. The duo added a huge stand of 132 runs for the first wicket before handy knocks from skipper Temba Bavuma (35), Aiden Markram (37) and Rassie van der Dussen (37) helped South Africa overhaul the target with 11 balls to spare. Also Read: Pant breaks Dravid's record to achieve elusive feat with cracking 85 in 2nd ODI vs South Africa With the seven-wicket win in the second ODI, South Africa have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead and clinched the series. India will be looking to bounce back to winning ways and earn a consolation victory when the two teams lock horns in the third and final ODI on Sunday (January 23).

Rishabh Pant's brilliant knock in vain as South Africa thrash India by seven wickets in 2nd ODI, clinch series

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his views on KL Rahul's captaincy and stated that he loses his impact as a batter when leading the team. Rahul is currently leading the Indian cricket in the absence of permanent skipper Rohit Sharma in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa.

Manjrekar cited the example of Rahul's numbers from his captaincy stint with Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where his strike rate went down significantly after becoming the captain of the team. Manjrekar's comments came after Rahul's 79-ball 55 in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (January 21).

After opting to bat first India rode on Rahul's 55 and Rishabh Pant's quickfire 85 off 71 balls to post a fighting total of 287/5 on the board, batting first in the must-win game. Pant and Rahul added a 115-run stand for the second wicket where the left-hander was going all guns blazing but the Indian skipper adopted a cautious approach and looked a bit sluggish during his innings.

"When he's a captain [for Punjab Kings] he has a strike rate of 133 and when he's not the captain 146. So this is KL Rahul, when he becomes captain, the impact that he makes as a batter gets diminished and that's something that hurts the team in the end and we have seen it hurt Punjab Kings in the IPL,"&nbsp;Mankrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo.

Today, you could say with Rishabh Pant batting there and the kind of overall confidence that the Indian team currently has, he saw potential issues had he got out early, especially with Virat Kohli gone," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-only-one-reason-sunil-gavaskar-explains-why-india-havent-won-an-icc-trophy-since-2013-446508">'There is only one reason': Sunil Gavaskar explains why India haven't won an ICC trophy since 2013</a>

Manjrekar wants Rahul to learn from Kohli and try to be like him as a captain. Kohli enjoyed the pressure of leadership and his performances only got better when he became the captain of the Indian team across formats. Manjrekar wants Rahul to replicate the same and win games for India with his batting.

"So I can understand the innings but going forward, I just want to see KL Rahul [be] the guy who makes an impact with the bat. Like Virat Kohli, for example, when he became the captain didn't lose Virat Kohli the batter who won him a lot of games. I want to see the same with KL Rahul," said Manjrekar.

India lost the first ODI against South Africa by 31 runs under Rahul's captaincy and are on the verge of facing back-to-back defeats as South Africa are well placed to win the second ODI and clinch the three-match series.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his views on KL Rahul's captaincy and stated that he loses his impact as a batter when leading the team. Rahul is currently leading the Indian cricket in the absence of permanent skipper Rohit Sharma in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his views on KL Rahul's captaincy and stated that he loses his impact as a batter when leading the team. Rahul is currently leading the Indian cricket in the absence of permanent skipper Rohit Sharma in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa. Manjrekar cited the example of Rahul's numbers from his captaincy stint with Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where his strike rate went down significantly after becoming the captain of the team. Manjrekar's comments came after Rahul's 79-ball 55 in the second ODI against South Africa on Friday (January 21). After opting to bat first India rode on Rahul's 55 and Rishabh Pant's quickfire 85 off 71 balls to post a fighting total of 287/5 on the board, batting first in the must-win game. Pant and Rahul added a 115-run stand for the second wicket where the left-hander was going all guns blazing but the Indian skipper adopted a cautious approach and looked a bit sluggish during his innings. "When he's a captain [for Punjab Kings] he has a strike rate of 133 and when he's not the captain 146. So this is KL Rahul, when he becomes captain, the impact that he makes as a batter gets diminished and that's something that hurts the team in the end and we have seen it hurt Punjab Kings in the IPL," Mankrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo. Today, you could say with Rishabh Pant batting there and the kind of overall confidence that the Indian team currently has, he saw potential issues had he got out early, especially with Virat Kohli gone," he added. Also Read: 'There is only one reason': Sunil Gavaskar explains why India haven't won an ICC trophy since 2013 Manjrekar wants Rahul to learn from Kohli and try to be like him as a captain. Kohli enjoyed the pressure of leadership and his performances only got better when he became the captain of the Indian team across formats. Manjrekar wants Rahul to replicate the same and win games for India with his batting. "So I can understand the innings but going forward, I just want to see KL Rahul [be] the guy who makes an impact with the bat. Like Virat Kohli, for example, when he became the captain didn't lose Virat Kohli the batter who won him a lot of games. I want to see the same with KL Rahul," said Manjrekar. India lost the first ODI against South Africa by 31 runs under Rahul's captaincy and are on the verge of facing back-to-back defeats as South Africa are well placed to win the second ODI and clinch the three-match series.

KL Rahul's impact as a batter diminishes when he captains, he should learn from Virat Kohli: Sanjay Manjrekar

India will lock horns with Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the full schedule of the mega event on Friday (January 21), confirming a blockbuster clash between the two arch-rivals in their respective opening games.

The much-anticipated game is scheduled to take place at the MCG on October 23. India and Pakistan have both been placed in Pool 2 with Bangladesh and South Africa. Reacting to the news of India and Pakistan locking horns once again in a major ICC event, former England captain Michael Vaughan said any India-Pakistan game is bigger than the Ashes.

India and Pakistan share one of the greatest rivalries in cricket but have stopped playing bilateral cricket due to the ongoing political tensions between the two nations. The two teams have continued to meet only in major ICC events since 2013.

Nonetheless, whenever India and Pakistan lock horns at the international stage, it attracts eyeballs across the globe with millions of fans watching in anticipation. While many believe Ashes, which is one of the oldest rivalries in cricket involving England and Australia, is the biggest series in world cricket, Vaughan called India-Pakistan clash&nbsp;the biggest game.

Vaughan, who has himself been part of some of the memorable Ashes encounters, said not Ashes but India-Pakistan clashes are the biggest.&nbsp;

“I think, we being England and Australia ex-players, we all kind of think of the Ashes as the biggest game in world cricket, it’s not! India vs Pakistan is the biggest game. Looking forward to Rohit Sharma being the captain, probably the first time he’s going to be under real pressure. It’s going to be an epic event,” Vaughan said while speaking to Star Sports.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-only-one-reason-sunil-gavaskar-explains-why-india-havent-won-an-icc-trophy-since-2013-446508">'There is only one reason': Sunil Gavaskar explains why India haven't won an ICC trophy since 2013</a> 
&nbsp;

In T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan thrashed India comprehensively by ten wickets to bring an end to their winless streak against the arch-rivals in World Cup history. The Men in Blue, who will be led by Rohit Sharma this time around, will be looking to exact revenge for last year's loss and get their campaign off to a winning start in T20 World Cup 2022.

India will lock horns with Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the full schedule of the mega event on Friday (January 21), confirming a blockbuster clash between the two arch-rivals in their respective opening games.

India will lock horns with Pakistan in their opening game of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the full schedule of the mega event on Friday (January 21), confirming a blockbuster clash between the two arch-rivals in their respective opening games. The much-anticipated game is scheduled to take place at the MCG on October 23. India and Pakistan have both been placed in Pool 2 with Bangladesh and South Africa. Reacting to the news of India and Pakistan locking horns once again in a major ICC event, former England captain Michael Vaughan said any India-Pakistan game is bigger than the Ashes. India and Pakistan share one of the greatest rivalries in cricket but have stopped playing bilateral cricket due to the ongoing political tensions between the two nations. The two teams have continued to meet only in major ICC events since 2013. Nonetheless, whenever India and Pakistan lock horns at the international stage, it attracts eyeballs across the globe with millions of fans watching in anticipation. While many believe Ashes, which is one of the oldest rivalries in cricket involving England and Australia, is the biggest series in world cricket, Vaughan called India-Pakistan clash the biggest game. Vaughan, who has himself been part of some of the memorable Ashes encounters, said not Ashes but India-Pakistan clashes are the biggest. “I think, we being England and Australia ex-players, we all kind of think of the Ashes as the biggest game in world cricket, it’s not! India vs Pakistan is the biggest game. Looking forward to Rohit Sharma being the captain, probably the first time he’s going to be under real pressure. It’s going to be an epic event,” Vaughan said while speaking to Star Sports. Also Read: 'There is only one reason': Sunil Gavaskar explains why India haven't won an ICC trophy since 2013 In T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan thrashed India comprehensively by ten wickets to bring an end to their winless streak against the arch-rivals in World Cup history. The Men in Blue, who will be led by Rohit Sharma this time around, will be looking to exact revenge for last year's loss and get their campaign off to a winning start in T20 World Cup 2022.

Michael Vaughan reacts to T20 WC 2022 schedule: Not Ashes, India-Pakistan the biggest game in world cricket

India are one of the strongest teams in international cricket at present and have enjoyed tremendous success across all three formats over the last few years. While they have been dominant both at home and overseas in bilateral cricket, the Indian team has failed to go the distance in major ICC tournaments.

India last won a major ICC trophy under former captain MS Dhoni in 2013 and have since failed to bring an end to their ICC trophy drought despite coming close on several occasions. India reached the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup where they lost against Sri Lanka before losing in the semi-finals of both the 2015 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup in 2016.

India came closer than ever to bringing an end to the drought when they reached the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017 under Virat Kohli's captaincy. However, the Men in Blue lost to arch-rivals Pakistan before suffering a heartbreaking defeat in the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup against New Zealand.

India failed to qualify for the knockout stages in the T20 World Cup 2021 last year and also lost the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand last year. India have not won an ICC trophy for almost nine years now as the team continues to aim to bring an end to the long-standing drought.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-breaks-rahul-dravids-record-to-achieve-elusive-feat-with-cracking-85-in-2nd-odi-vs-south-africa-446485">Rishabh Pant breaks Rahul Dravid's record to achieve elusive feat with cracking 85 vs South Africa</a>

Recently, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar explained the reason behind lack of success in ICC tournaments for India. The former India captain feels the lack of all-rounders has cost India in big tournaments. He cited the examples of how all great Indian teams in the past have had batters in the middle-order, who could also be handy with the ball in their hands.

Gavaskar cited the examples of the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, who batted extremely well in the middle-order and also were brilliant as part-time bowlers for captain Dhoni. Gavaskar feels the current Indian team lacks such versatile all-rounders which is the reason behind their failures in big tournaments.

"There is only one reason why this team has been left disappointed in ICC tournaments (ODI and T20I). If you look at the teams that won the 1983 and 2011 World Cups or even the 1985 World Championship of Cricket-winning side, they were all full of outstanding all-rounders," Gavaskar told AajTak.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-creates-unwanted-record-after-5-ball-duck-in-2nd-odi-against-south-africa-446440">Virat Kohli creates unwanted record after 5-ball duck in 2nd ODI against South Africa</a>

"There were many batters who could bowl and the bowlers could bat. The numbers 6,7 and 8 requires all-rounders which all these victorious teams had. The likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina could bowl and bat very well.

"This is the one shortcoming that the Indian team has over the past two or three years, as a result of which the captain has not had many options and the team has lacked flexibility," the former India captain added.

India will get another shot at redemption when they take part in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. The Indian team has been placed in Pool 2 with Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa. The Men in Blue will once again open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan.

India are one of the strongest teams in international cricket at present and have enjoyed tremendous success across all three formats over the last few years. While they have been dominant both at home and overseas in bilateral cricket, the Indian team has failed to go the distance in major ICC tournaments.

India are one of the strongest teams in international cricket at present and have enjoyed tremendous success across all three formats over the last few years. While they have been dominant both at home and overseas in bilateral cricket, the Indian team has failed to go the distance in major ICC tournaments. India last won a major ICC trophy under former captain MS Dhoni in 2013 and have since failed to bring an end to their ICC trophy drought despite coming close on several occasions. India reached the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup where they lost against Sri Lanka before losing in the semi-finals of both the 2015 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup in 2016. India came closer than ever to bringing an end to the drought when they reached the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017 under Virat Kohli's captaincy. However, the Men in Blue lost to arch-rivals Pakistan before suffering a heartbreaking defeat in the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup against New Zealand. India failed to qualify for the knockout stages in the T20 World Cup 2021 last year and also lost the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand last year. India have not won an ICC trophy for almost nine years now as the team continues to aim to bring an end to the long-standing drought. Also Read: Rishabh Pant breaks Rahul Dravid's record to achieve elusive feat with cracking 85 vs South Africa Recently, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar explained the reason behind lack of success in ICC tournaments for India. The former India captain feels the lack of all-rounders has cost India in big tournaments. He cited the examples of how all great Indian teams in the past have had batters in the middle-order, who could also be handy with the ball in their hands. Gavaskar cited the examples of the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, who batted extremely well in the middle-order and also were brilliant as part-time bowlers for captain Dhoni. Gavaskar feels the current Indian team lacks such versatile all-rounders which is the reason behind their failures in big tournaments. "There is only one reason why this team has been left disappointed in ICC tournaments (ODI and T20I). If you look at the teams that won the 1983 and 2011 World Cups or even the 1985 World Championship of Cricket-winning side, they were all full of outstanding all-rounders," Gavaskar told AajTak. Also Read: Virat Kohli creates unwanted record after 5-ball duck in 2nd ODI against South Africa "There were many batters who could bowl and the bowlers could bat. The numbers 6,7 and 8 requires all-rounders which all these victorious teams had. The likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina could bowl and bat very well. "This is the one shortcoming that the Indian team has over the past two or three years, as a result of which the captain has not had many options and the team has lacked flexibility," the former India captain added. India will get another shot at redemption when they take part in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia later this year. The Indian team has been placed in Pool 2 with Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa. The Men in Blue will once again open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan.

'There is only one reason': Sunil Gavaskar explains why India haven't won an ICC trophy since 2013

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Indian Test captain. The news shocked one and all as the 33-year-old signed off as India's most successful captain in whites, winning 40 out of 68 Tests. Kohli's decision came just a day after India's three-match Test series loss to Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/way-people-treated-him-ex-bcci-selector-opines-on-virat-kohli-post-his-test-captaincy-resignation-446415">'Way people treated him...': Ex-BCCI selector opines on Virat Kohli post his Test captaincy resignation</a>

Ever since Kohli stepped down as the Test captain, many former cricketers and experts of the game have suggested various names who can succeed the 33-year-old. Some of the top contenders are Rohit Sharma (already the limited-overs captain), Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul whereas some have suggested Rishabh Pant's name as well. Pant, who made his debut in whites in mid-2018, has improved leaps and bounds -- in terms of fitness, keeping skills and batting -- and has&nbsp;1,735 runs with seven half-centuries and four tons. In addition, he has 110 dismissals in the purest format so far.

Speaking to the media recently, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen opined on the Test captaincy debate and shared his views regarding Pant.&nbsp;

"You are spoilt for choice... But Pant not yet, maybe one day... But when you have got Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul you have got some mighty cricketers," Pietersen has said. "I love Rahul Dravid. I'm looking forward to his progress with the national side. He has done wonders for the youngsters. So I'm looking forward to seeing him progress with the senior players," he further asserted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-are-lucky-they-have-many-options-kevin-pietersen-names-who-should-take-over-as-test-captain-446401">India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain</a>

It will be interesting to see if Pant is given the nod. At 24, the swashbuckling left-hander is already touted to captain Team India in the future. However, it&nbsp;remains to be seen if he is given the top job amid the presence of many senior players such as Rohit, Rahul, R Ashwin, Bumrah and the likes.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Indian Test captain. The news shocked one and all as the 33-year-old signed off as India's most successful captain in whites, winning 40 out of 68 Tests.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Indian Test captain. The news shocked one and all as the 33-year-old signed off as India's most successful captain in whites, winning 40 out of 68 Tests. Kohli's decision came just a day after India's three-match Test series loss to Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Way people treated him...': Ex-BCCI selector opines on Virat Kohli post his Test captaincy resignation Ever since Kohli stepped down as the Test captain, many former cricketers and experts of the game have suggested various names who can succeed the 33-year-old. Some of the top contenders are Rohit Sharma (already the limited-overs captain), Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul whereas some have suggested Rishabh Pant's name as well. Pant, who made his debut in whites in mid-2018, has improved leaps and bounds -- in terms of fitness, keeping skills and batting -- and has 1,735 runs with seven half-centuries and four tons. In addition, he has 110 dismissals in the purest format so far. Speaking to the media recently, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen opined on the Test captaincy debate and shared his views regarding Pant. "You are spoilt for choice... But Pant not yet, maybe one day... But when you have got Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul you have got some mighty cricketers," Pietersen has said. "I love Rahul Dravid. I'm looking forward to his progress with the national side. He has done wonders for the youngsters. So I'm looking forward to seeing him progress with the senior players," he further asserted. ALSO READ | India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain It will be interesting to see if Pant is given the nod. At 24, the swashbuckling left-hander is already touted to captain Team India in the future. However, it remains to be seen if he is given the top job amid the presence of many senior players such as Rohit, Rahul, R Ashwin, Bumrah and the likes.

Should Rishabh Pant take over from Virat Kohli as India's Test captain? Kevin Pietersen responds

Rishabh Pant slammed a brilliant knock of 85 runs in the second ODI against South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21) to achieve an elusive milestone. Despite missing out on a well-deserved maiden ODI ton, the Indian wicket-keeper batter wowed fans with some fantastic skills and strokeplay during his entertaining knock.

After opting to bat first in the must-win second ODI, India got off to a good start with openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan adding 63 runs for the first wicket. The visitors then lost Dhawan (29) and Virat Kohli (0) in quick succession before Rahul and Pant combined to steady the ship.

While Pant played the aggressor and went after the South African bowlers, Rahul played the anchor's role to perfection. Pant slammed a cracking 85 off 71 balls laced with ten fours and two sixes as he achieved an elusive milestone. The left-hander added a 115-run stand for the third wicket with skipper Rahul, who notched up a fine 55 off 79 deliveries.

With his 85-run-knock Pant broke current India head coach Rahul Dravid's record to achieve the milestone of the highest individual score in ODIs by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in South Africa. Pant now has the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper in an ODI in South Africa, surpassing Dravid's 77 in Durban in 2001.

Highest individual ODI scores&nbsp;by an Indian wicket-keeper in South Africa:

85 &nbsp;Rishabh Pant v SA, Paarl 2022

&nbsp;77 &nbsp;Rahul Dravid v SA,&nbsp; Durban 2001

65 &nbsp;MS Dhoni v SA,&nbsp; Joburg 2013

62 &nbsp;Rahul Dravid v Eng, Durban 2003

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-comedy-of-errors-ensues-between-rahul-pant-before-keshav-maharaj-misses-run-out-chance-446456">WATCH - Comedy of errors ensues between Rahul, Pant before Keshav Maharaj misses run-out chance</a>

Pant also holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter in Tests as he had become the first Indian keeper to score a century in South Africa during the recently-concluded three-match Test series. The left-hander is currently one of the vital cogs in the Indian team across formats and has been delivering consistent performances with the bat.

With the help of fifties from Pant and Rahul, and crucial contributions from R Ashwin (25) and Shradul Thakur (40), India managed to post a fighting total of 287 runs on the board in 50 overs. Having lost the first ODI by 31 runs, the visitors will be hopeful of bouncing back and levelling the three-match series with a win on Friday.

Rishabh Pant slammed a brilliant knock of 85 runs in the second ODI against South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21) to achieve an elusive milestone.

Rishabh Pant slammed a brilliant knock of 85 runs in the second ODI against South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21) to achieve an elusive milestone. Despite missing out on a well-deserved maiden ODI ton, the Indian wicket-keeper batter wowed fans with some fantastic skills and strokeplay during his entertaining knock. After opting to bat first in the must-win second ODI, India got off to a good start with openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan adding 63 runs for the first wicket. The visitors then lost Dhawan (29) and Virat Kohli (0) in quick succession before Rahul and Pant combined to steady the ship. While Pant played the aggressor and went after the South African bowlers, Rahul played the anchor's role to perfection. Pant slammed a cracking 85 off 71 balls laced with ten fours and two sixes as he achieved an elusive milestone. The left-hander added a 115-run stand for the third wicket with skipper Rahul, who notched up a fine 55 off 79 deliveries. With his 85-run-knock Pant broke current India head coach Rahul Dravid's record to achieve the milestone of the highest individual score in ODIs by an Indian wicket-keeper batter in South Africa. Pant now has the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper in an ODI in South Africa, surpassing Dravid's 77 in Durban in 2001. Highest individual ODI scores by an Indian wicket-keeper in South Africa: 85 Rishabh Pant v SA, Paarl 2022 77 Rahul Dravid v SA, Durban 2001 65 MS Dhoni v SA, Joburg 2013 62 Rahul Dravid v Eng, Durban 2003 Also Read: WATCH - Comedy of errors ensues between Rahul, Pant before Keshav Maharaj misses run-out chance Pant also holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter in Tests as he had become the first Indian keeper to score a century in South Africa during the recently-concluded three-match Test series. The left-hander is currently one of the vital cogs in the Indian team across formats and has been delivering consistent performances with the bat. With the help of fifties from Pant and Rahul, and crucial contributions from R Ashwin (25) and Shradul Thakur (40), India managed to post a fighting total of 287 runs on the board in 50 overs. Having lost the first ODI by 31 runs, the visitors will be hopeful of bouncing back and levelling the three-match series with a win on Friday.

Rishabh Pant breaks Rahul Dravid's record to achieve elusive feat with cracking 85 in 2nd ODI vs South Africa

Virat Kohli endured a disappointing outing with the bat in the ongoing second ODI between India and South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21). The former India captain was dismissed by spinner Keshav Maharaj without opening his account after managing to face just five balls in his innings.

After opting to bat first in the must-win game, India got off to a good start as openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan added 63 runs for the first wicket before the left-hander was dismissed by Aiden Markram on 29 off 38 deliveries. Kohli came out to bat at number three and was expected to build a partnership with Rahul.

However, Kohli&nbsp;failed to get off to a good start and was sent packing by Maharaj. It was a tossed up delivery from Maharaj, which Kohli was expected to dispatch but the former India skipper played a very poor shot as the ball landed straight into the hands of Temba Bavuma in the cover region. It was a soft dismissal as Kohli recorded his 14th duck in ODIs.

With his 14th duck, Kohli went past his India teammate Rohit Sharma and current India head coach Rahul Dravid in the list of most ducks for India while batting at no. 1 to 7 positions. Kohli joined the likes of Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina in an unwanted list of Indian batters with 14 ducks in ODIs. He is now joint-second on the mist of Indian batters with most ducks in ODIs while batting at no.1 to 7.

Kohli had been dismissed on a duck by a pacer on all 13 occasions in the past, however, on Friday, Maharaj became the first-ever spinner to hand former India captain a duck in ODIs. England's Adil Rashid is the only spinner to have dismissed Kohli on a duck in T20Is while Moeen Ali and Ajaz Patel have dismissed him on a duck in Tests.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-surprised-kevin-pitersen-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-shocking-decision-to-quit-test-captaincy-446414">'I am not surprised': Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's shocking decision to quit Test captaincy</a>

<h3>A long drought without a hundred for Virat Kohli</h3>

Kohli's century drought continues to extend in international cricket as the batting maestro struggles to find consistency with the willow. He has now gone 17 innings without a century in ODIs - his longest streak without scoring a ton in the fifty-over format.

After Kohli's dismissal, skipper Rahul combined with Rishabh Pant to steady the ship for India as both batters notched up half-centuries apiece. While Pant slammed a quickfire 85 off 71 balls, Rahul notched up 55 off 79 deliveries to add 115 runs for the third wicket.

Virat Kohli endured a disappointing outing with the bat in the ongoing second ODI between India and South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21).

Virat Kohli endured a disappointing outing with the bat in the ongoing second ODI between India and South Africa at the Boland Park in Paarl on Friday (January 21). The former India captain was dismissed by spinner Keshav Maharaj without opening his account after managing to face just five balls in his innings. After opting to bat first in the must-win game, India got off to a good start as openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan added 63 runs for the first wicket before the left-hander was dismissed by Aiden Markram on 29 off 38 deliveries. Kohli came out to bat at number three and was expected to build a partnership with Rahul. However, Kohli failed to get off to a good start and was sent packing by Maharaj. It was a tossed up delivery from Maharaj, which Kohli was expected to dispatch but the former India skipper played a very poor shot as the ball landed straight into the hands of Temba Bavuma in the cover region. It was a soft dismissal as Kohli recorded his 14th duck in ODIs. With his 14th duck, Kohli went past his India teammate Rohit Sharma and current India head coach Rahul Dravid in the list of most ducks for India while batting at no. 1 to 7 positions. Kohli joined the likes of Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina in an unwanted list of Indian batters with 14 ducks in ODIs. He is now joint-second on the mist of Indian batters with most ducks in ODIs while batting at no.1 to 7. Kohli had been dismissed on a duck by a pacer on all 13 occasions in the past, however, on Friday, Maharaj became the first-ever spinner to hand former India captain a duck in ODIs. England's Adil Rashid is the only spinner to have dismissed Kohli on a duck in T20Is while Moeen Ali and Ajaz Patel have dismissed him on a duck in Tests. Also Read: 'I am not surprised': Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's shocking decision to quit Test captaincy A long drought without a hundred for Virat Kohli Kohli's century drought continues to extend in international cricket as the batting maestro struggles to find consistency with the willow. He has now gone 17 innings without a century in ODIs - his longest streak without scoring a ton in the fifty-over format. After Kohli's dismissal, skipper Rahul combined with Rishabh Pant to steady the ship for India as both batters notched up half-centuries apiece. While Pant slammed a quickfire 85 off 71 balls, Rahul notched up 55 off 79 deliveries to add 115 runs for the third wicket.

Virat Kohli creates unwanted record after 5-ball duck in 2nd ODI against South Africa

Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa. Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test captains of all time and was expected to continue leading the Indian team in the longest format.

However, Kohli decided to bring an end to his seven-year tenure as the captain of the Indian team in the longest format. Ever since his unexpected move, several former cricketers and experts have tried to decode the reason behind his decision and give their opinion on the matter.

Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen reacted to Kohli's shocking decision of quitting India's Test captaincy and explained why playing in bio-bubbles in the current times of COVID-19 could have been one of the biggest reasons behind Kohli's decision.

Pietersen said it is not easy for athletes&nbsp;around the world to play in bio-bubbles as it takes a severe toll on physical and mental health.&nbsp;"People who are critical of the modern-day sportsmen I think are foolish because these bio-bubbles are very hard to play in," Pietersen told PTI.

"It will be very unfair to be too harsh, to be critical. Because you have not looked at Virat Kohli. Kohli needs crowds, he gets going (from it), he is an entertainer," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-are-lucky-they-have-many-options-kevin-pietersen-names-who-should-take-over-as-test-captain-446401">India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain</a>

The former England captain further stated that he is not surprised by Kohli's decision of quitting the leadership role explaining that the 33-year-old might have felt the urge to step down from the top post to take some pressure off his back and focus on his batting.

"I'm actually not surprised that Virat wants just a little bit of a break from that extra pressure because it's damn difficult playing in these bubbles," Pietersen said.

"It's very difficult to judge all International sportsmen, be it premier league footballers or any sportsman around the world, playing in a pandemic. As a batter, I feed on the energy of players, and there are a lot of these players, be it in football, rugby or tennis," he added.

Kohli will not be leading India in any format going forward having left the T20I captaincy last year before being replaced as the ODI captain of the side by Rohit Sharma. He will continue to be a vital cog for the team across all three formats as a batter.

&nbsp;

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Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa.

Virat Kohli decided to step down as India's Test captain last week sending shockwaves across the cricket fraternity. Kohli announced his decision on social media post India's 2-1 defeat in the recently-concluded three-match Test series against South Africa. Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test captains of all time and was expected to continue leading the Indian team in the longest format. However, Kohli decided to bring an end to his seven-year tenure as the captain of the Indian team in the longest format. Ever since his unexpected move, several former cricketers and experts have tried to decode the reason behind his decision and give their opinion on the matter. Recently, former England captain Kevin Pietersen reacted to Kohli's shocking decision of quitting India's Test captaincy and explained why playing in bio-bubbles in the current times of COVID-19 could have been one of the biggest reasons behind Kohli's decision. Pietersen said it is not easy for athletes around the world to play in bio-bubbles as it takes a severe toll on physical and mental health. "People who are critical of the modern-day sportsmen I think are foolish because these bio-bubbles are very hard to play in," Pietersen told PTI. "It will be very unfair to be too harsh, to be critical. Because you have not looked at Virat Kohli. Kohli needs crowds, he gets going (from it), he is an entertainer," he added. Also Read: India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain The former England captain further stated that he is not surprised by Kohli's decision of quitting the leadership role explaining that the 33-year-old might have felt the urge to step down from the top post to take some pressure off his back and focus on his batting. "I'm actually not surprised that Virat wants just a little bit of a break from that extra pressure because it's damn difficult playing in these bubbles," Pietersen said. "It's very difficult to judge all International sportsmen, be it premier league footballers or any sportsman around the world, playing in a pandemic. As a batter, I feed on the energy of players, and there are a lot of these players, be it in football, rugby or tennis," he added. Kohli will not be leading India in any format going forward having left the T20I captaincy last year before being replaced as the ODI captain of the side by Rohit Sharma. He will continue to be a vital cog for the team across all three formats as a batter.

'I am not surprised': Kevin Pietersen reacts to Virat Kohli's shocking decision to quit Test captaincy

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. He stepped down post the showpiece event, being succeeded by Rohit Sharma, whereas the BCCI national selectors sacked him as the ODI captain, making Rohit the white-ball skipper altogether.

After the end of the three-match Test series between India and South Africa, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the red-ball captain. While many believe things aren't at its best between Kohli and the BCCI -- post the former's explosive presser prior to the SA tour -- former chief selector Kiron More opened up on how things have shaped up in recent times and sympathised with Kohli.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-are-lucky-they-have-many-options-kevin-pietersen-names-who-should-take-over-as-test-captain-446401">India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain</a>

"The way he has left is a bit sad. The way people have treated him, and I am not talking of the BCCI, and criticised him was not fair. He has played a lot of cricket, he has done well for India. The way he played any form of cricket, he had that quality. He always showed the character that he wanted to win," More told News18.

He further asserted, "Let's not forget he is a World Cup winner (2011). He has got 70 international hundreds and is a special player. I am disappointed with the way people were talking about him and the way his captaincy was criticised. For me, he is a legend. Performance-wise, we cannot touch him. I am not worried about him stepping down from T20 or ODI captaincy. That is part of life. The way people were criticising him was not good."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-kohli-were-sitting-apart-former-pak-spinner-makes-glaring-remark-after-indias-1st-odi-loss-446377">Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss</a>

With Kohli stepping down as the Test captain, Rohit is touted to be the frontrunner to take over as the all-format captain. More reflected on Rohit-Rahul Dravid partnership and opined on Kohli the batter going forward. He feels the transition will take time and has backed Kohli to dominate with the bat. "This always happens. People have to come together and regroup. That's the job of Rahul Dravid and the selectors. They are matured cricketers. It is not going to be easy and will take time for the Indian team to settle down. Test cricket is not easy, no matter what. You play Test cricket with your heart. He’s got to perform. Kohli’s 79 and 29 in Cape Town were like 150 on difficult pitch," the former keeper-batter said.

"It is not easy to leave captaincy. He was the captain in all three formats. He must have decided to focus on his batting and win matches for the country. He has always played freely to score 70 international hundreds. Time comes in every captain’s life to move on. Every captain feels it and perhaps he has felt it now," More concluded.

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format.

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. He stepped down post the showpiece event, being succeeded by Rohit Sharma, whereas the BCCI national selectors sacked him as the ODI captain, making Rohit the white-ball skipper altogether. After the end of the three-match Test series between India and South Africa, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the red-ball captain. While many believe things aren't at its best between Kohli and the BCCI -- post the former's explosive presser prior to the SA tour -- former chief selector Kiron More opened up on how things have shaped up in recent times and sympathised with Kohli. ALSO READ | India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain "The way he has left is a bit sad. The way people have treated him, and I am not talking of the BCCI, and criticised him was not fair. He has played a lot of cricket, he has done well for India. The way he played any form of cricket, he had that quality. He always showed the character that he wanted to win," More told News18. He further asserted, "Let's not forget he is a World Cup winner (2011). He has got 70 international hundreds and is a special player. I am disappointed with the way people were talking about him and the way his captaincy was criticised. For me, he is a legend. Performance-wise, we cannot touch him. I am not worried about him stepping down from T20 or ODI captaincy. That is part of life. The way people were criticising him was not good." ALSO READ | Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss With Kohli stepping down as the Test captain, Rohit is touted to be the frontrunner to take over as the all-format captain. More reflected on Rohit-Rahul Dravid partnership and opined on Kohli the batter going forward. He feels the transition will take time and has backed Kohli to dominate with the bat. "This always happens. People have to come together and regroup. That's the job of Rahul Dravid and the selectors. They are matured cricketers. It is not going to be easy and will take time for the Indian team to settle down. Test cricket is not easy, no matter what. You play Test cricket with your heart. He’s got to perform. Kohli’s 79 and 29 in Cape Town were like 150 on difficult pitch," the former keeper-batter said. "It is not easy to leave captaincy. He was the captain in all three formats. He must have decided to focus on his batting and win matches for the country. He has always played freely to score 70 international hundreds. Time comes in every captain’s life to move on. Every captain feels it and perhaps he has felt it now," More concluded.

'Way people treated him...': Ex-BCCI selector opines on Virat Kohli post his Test captaincy resignation

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Kohli shared the news with one and all and tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-ganguly-wanted-to-issue-showcause-notice-to-kohli-following-his-explosive-presser-report-446249">BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report</a>

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🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/huBL6zZ7fZ">pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1482340422987169794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Since then, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their suggestions regarding who can take over from Kohli in whites. Ex-England cricketer Pietersen also opened up in this regard and feels India have plenty of options to choose from.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-kohli-were-sitting-apart-former-pak-spinner-makes-glaring-remark-after-indias-1st-odi-loss-446377">Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss</a>

“You (India) are so lucky that you have so many options for the captain. I will probably stick with Rohit Sharma. He is a great leader, I love the authority he commands. He makes fabulous decisions and we’ve seen them with Mumbai Indians, he has won so many titles with them. More importantly, I am really looking forward to how Rahul Dravid is with that team – can he do it with the youngsters, can he do it with the big guys,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by&nbsp;India Today.

The national selectors have a tough decision&nbsp;to make in order to choose India's next captain in the purest format. Under Kohli, India dominated at home, played the inaugural WTC final, won a Test series in Australia and have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, held in mid-2021.

The contenders for the top job are Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pan and&nbsp;Jasprit Bumrah.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has named India's next Test captain after Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the red-ball format on January 15. The 33-year-old Kohli surprised one and all with his decision, only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation. Kohli shared the news with one and all and tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." ALSO READ | BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × Since then, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their suggestions regarding who can take over from Kohli in whites. Ex-England cricketer Pietersen also opened up in this regard and feels India have plenty of options to choose from. ALSO READ | Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss “You (India) are so lucky that you have so many options for the captain. I will probably stick with Rohit Sharma. He is a great leader, I love the authority he commands. He makes fabulous decisions and we’ve seen them with Mumbai Indians, he has won so many titles with them. More importantly, I am really looking forward to how Rahul Dravid is with that team – can he do it with the youngsters, can he do it with the big guys,” Pietersen was quoted as saying by India Today. The national selectors have a tough decision to make in order to choose India's next captain in the purest format. Under Kohli, India dominated at home, played the inaugural WTC final, won a Test series in Australia and have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, held in mid-2021. The contenders for the top job are Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pan and Jasprit Bumrah.

India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain

Virat Kohli's glorious Test captaincy tenure: Reliving former skipper's inspiring run as leader in whites

South Africa beat India by 31 runs in the first ODI, of the three-match series, on Wednesday (January 19). After the riveting Test series played in the African nation between both sides, the two heavyweights locked horns with each other in the ODI leg as Temba Bavuma-led Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the series opener.

Opting to bat first, Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen's respective tons propelled SA to 296-4. In reply, India rode on fifties from Shikhar Dhawan (79), Virat Kohli (51) and Shardul Thakur (50 not out) to manage 265-8 and lost the clash in a convincing manner.

During India's run-chase, Rahul &amp; Co. were oncourse for a win courtesy an impressive 98-run second-wicket stand between veterans&nbsp;Dhawan and Kohli. However, the duo's wickets turned the match around as India's middle-order was once again under test. From 138-1, India were quickly reduced to 181-4 when the onus fell on Rishabh Pant;&nbsp;as was the case exactly a year ago during India's famous Gabba Test win over Australia.

Nonetheless, Pant couldn't do anything significant as he was brilliantly stumped by his counterpart Quinton de Kock. Pant tried to flick the ball, pitched on the leg-side, but it was away from his body. As a result, he lost his balance and moved out of the crease when De Kock stumped him in a flash. The South African's stumping reminded many of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. In his illustrious career, Dhoni was known for his unorthodox yet handy keeping skills along with his tactical acumen, finishing prowess, etc. He ended his international career with 829 dismissals (third-most overall).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-sa-virat-kohli-temba-bavuma-involved-in-fiery-exchange-during-1st-odi-in-paarl-watch-446129">India vs SA: Virat Kohli, Temba Bavuma involved in fiery exchange during 1st ODI in Paarl - WATCH</a>

Here's the video of QDK pulling off a Dhoni:

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Quinton De Kock = MS Dhoni 🤯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvsIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvsIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvSA</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSDhoni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvIND</a><a href="https://t.co/PDgt5GuzLn">pic.twitter.com/PDgt5GuzLn</a>
— CRICKET VIDEOS 🏏 (@AbdullahNeaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbdullahNeaz/status/1483837086717267968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/energy-that-kohli-brought-as-captain-was-missing-team-doesnt-salman-butt-on-indias-1st-odi-loss-446169">'Energy that Kohli brought as captain was missing, team doesn't....' - Salman Butt on India's 1st ODI loss</a>

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Proteas captain Bavuma labelled his side's performance as a 'perfect game'.

"We played close to a perfect game, that's quite hard in 50-over cricket. We can take a lot of confidence. I struggled throughout the innings, Rassie seemed like batting on another wicket. That partnership was the decider. I tried to partner him as much as I could. Another good debut for him (Jansen), we feel he can take wickets with the new ball. He's growing from strength to strength and it's nice to see,"&nbsp;he opined.

The second and penultimate ODI will be held at the same venue, i.e. Boland Park, Paarl, on January 21 (Friday).

South Africa beat India by 31 runs in the first ODI, of the three-match series, on Wednesday (January 19). After the riveting Test series played in the African nation between both sides, the two heavyweights locked horns with each other in the ODI leg as Temba Bavuma-led Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the series opener.

South Africa beat India by 31 runs in the first ODI, of the three-match series, on Wednesday (January 19). After the riveting Test series played in the African nation between both sides, the two heavyweights locked horns with each other in the ODI leg as Temba Bavuma-led Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the series opener. Opting to bat first, Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen's respective tons propelled SA to 296-4. In reply, India rode on fifties from Shikhar Dhawan (79), Virat Kohli (51) and Shardul Thakur (50 not out) to manage 265-8 and lost the clash in a convincing manner. During India's run-chase, Rahul & Co. were oncourse for a win courtesy an impressive 98-run second-wicket stand between veterans Dhawan and Kohli. However, the duo's wickets turned the match around as India's middle-order was once again under test. From 138-1, India were quickly reduced to 181-4 when the onus fell on Rishabh Pant; as was the case exactly a year ago during India's famous Gabba Test win over Australia. Nonetheless, Pant couldn't do anything significant as he was brilliantly stumped by his counterpart Quinton de Kock. Pant tried to flick the ball, pitched on the leg-side, but it was away from his body. As a result, he lost his balance and moved out of the crease when De Kock stumped him in a flash. The South African's stumping reminded many of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. In his illustrious career, Dhoni was known for his unorthodox yet handy keeping skills along with his tactical acumen, finishing prowess, etc. He ended his international career with 829 dismissals (third-most overall). ALSO READ | India vs SA: Virat Kohli, Temba Bavuma involved in fiery exchange during 1st ODI in Paarl - WATCH Here's the video of QDK pulling off a Dhoni: Quinton De Kock = MS Dhoni 🤯#SAvsIND #INDvSA#MSDhoni #SAvINDpic.twitter.com/PDgt5GuzLn — CRICKET VIDEOS 🏏 (@AbdullahNeaz) January 19, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Energy that Kohli brought as captain was missing, team doesn't....' - Salman Butt on India's 1st ODI loss Speaking at the post-match press conference, Proteas captain Bavuma labelled his side's performance as a 'perfect game'. "We played close to a perfect game, that's quite hard in 50-over cricket. We can take a lot of confidence. I struggled throughout the innings, Rassie seemed like batting on another wicket. That partnership was the decider. I tried to partner him as much as I could. Another good debut for him (Jansen), we feel he can take wickets with the new ball. He's growing from strength to strength and it's nice to see," he opined. The second and penultimate ODI will be held at the same venue, i.e. Boland Park, Paarl, on January 21 (Friday).

WATCH: Quinton de Kock pulls off an MS Dhoni-esque stumping to get rid of Rishabh Pant in 1st ODI

Pat Cummins-led Australia have benefitted immensely following their resounding Ashes 2021/22 series win over Joe Root's England. After climbing to the second spot in the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), Cummins &amp; Co. have also climbed to the top spot in the ICC Test Rankings, replacing Virat Kohli-starrer Team India.

Australia have moved past India and World Test champions New Zealand to take the top spot with 119 rating points. The Baggy Greens were clinical throughout the 2021/22 Ashes edition, held Down Under, to win the series 4-0 and have risen to the top of the Test rankings. On the other hand, Team India slipped to the third position following their 2-1 series loss to Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

India were 1-0 up in the three-match Test series, however, lost the plot from thereon. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson's New Zealand have managed to hold onto the second spot despite a 1-1 series scoreline versus Bangladesh, in their own backyard.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-mens-t20i-team-of-2021-babar-azam-leads-star-studded-xi-no-team-india-player-makes-the-cut-446012">ICC Men's T20I team of 2021: Babar Azam leads star-studded XI, no Team India player makes the cut</a>

Root-led England are in the fourth position, with 101 rating points, whereas Babar Azam-led Pakistan have slipped to the sixth position. The likes of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland have managed to hold onto their respective spots in the rankings.

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👊 4-0 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> series winners 
📊 Second on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC23</a> table 
🥇 Top-ranked Test team in the world! 
 
Australia's rise to the summit of the MRF Tyres rankings 📈<a href="https://t.co/heNbOrq0km">https://t.co/heNbOrq0km</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1483953318640877568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-falls-to-sixth-virat-kohli-climbs-to-seventh-spot-in-icc-test-rankings-445956">Rohit Sharma falls to sixth, Virat Kohli climbs to seventh spot in ICC Test Rankings</a>

In the Test rankings for batters, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is at the top whereas Cummins holds the numero uno position among bowlers.

The Test rankings will see more changes in the coming months, with plenty of action stored in the red-ball format in the near future. Teams will fight it hard among each other to not only improve their rankings but also remain in contention to play the final in the ongoing WTC cycle.

The finale of the second edition of the WTC is scheduled to be held in early 2023.

Pat Cummins-led Australia have benefitted immensely following their resounding Ashes 2021/22 series win over Joe Root's England. After climbing to the second spot in the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), Cummins & Co.

Pat Cummins-led Australia have benefitted immensely following their resounding Ashes 2021/22 series win over Joe Root's England. After climbing to the second spot in the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), Cummins & Co. have also climbed to the top spot in the ICC Test Rankings, replacing Virat Kohli-starrer Team India. Australia have moved past India and World Test champions New Zealand to take the top spot with 119 rating points. The Baggy Greens were clinical throughout the 2021/22 Ashes edition, held Down Under, to win the series 4-0 and have risen to the top of the Test rankings. On the other hand, Team India slipped to the third position following their 2-1 series loss to Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. India were 1-0 up in the three-match Test series, however, lost the plot from thereon. Meanwhile, Kane Williamson's New Zealand have managed to hold onto the second spot despite a 1-1 series scoreline versus Bangladesh, in their own backyard. ALSO READ | ICC Men's T20I team of 2021: Babar Azam leads star-studded XI, no Team India player makes the cut Root-led England are in the fourth position, with 101 rating points, whereas Babar Azam-led Pakistan have slipped to the sixth position. The likes of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland have managed to hold onto their respective spots in the rankings. 👊 4-0 #Ashes series winners 📊 Second on the #WTC23 table 🥇 Top-ranked Test team in the world! Australia's rise to the summit of the MRF Tyres rankings 📈https://t.co/heNbOrq0km — ICC (@ICC) January 20, 2022 × ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma falls to sixth, Virat Kohli climbs to seventh spot in ICC Test Rankings In the Test rankings for batters, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is at the top whereas Cummins holds the numero uno position among bowlers. The Test rankings will see more changes in the coming months, with plenty of action stored in the red-ball format in the near future. Teams will fight it hard among each other to not only improve their rankings but also remain in contention to play the final in the ongoing WTC cycle. The finale of the second edition of the WTC is scheduled to be held in early 2023.

ICC Test Rankings: Australia take No. 1 spot post Ashes success, India drop to 3rd position

India and Pakistan locked horns with each other after a long time during the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. The senior men's cricket teams faced each other for the first time after the 2019 ODI World Cup encounter and the stakes were high this time around as well.

Virat Kohli-led were asked to bat first as the one-time winners managed a modest 151-7, at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Losing early wickets, Kohli's 57 and Rishabh Pant's 39, off 30 balls, took India to a respectable total. In reply, openers Babar Azam (68 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (unbeaten 79) took the Men in Green home without losing a single wicket.

Recently, Rizwan recalled a hilarious chat with then Indian captain Kohli during the high-voltage clash. During India's innings, the Men in Blue were trying to recover from the early jolts -- with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav getting out for cheap -- courtesy Pant-Kohli's fourth-wicket stand. During their partnership, Pakistan went for a review against Pant -- who played a reverse sweep -- when Rizwan and Kohli had a hilarious conversation.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-was-always-pressure-former-india-pacer-shares-his-take-on-virat-kohlis-captaincy-resignation-445955">There was always pressure: Former India pacer shares his take on Virat Kohli's captaincy resignation</a>

Speaking to&nbsp;Pakt.tv, Rizwan revealed,&nbsp;"Some things are part of tactics. No doubt Virat Kohli is world’s No. 1. When we play cricket, it’s like family. I remember when we took the review against Pant when he played the reverse sweep, he (Kohli) said… ‘what are you doing? Getting everyone out inside 10 overs?’ But like I said, these are tactics. Later, when I walked out to bat, I spoke to him then too. Rest, whatever chats took place inside the change room, I can’t disclose but I can say that he’s a very nice person."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-comes-a-stage-where-you-cant-afridi-opines-on-virat-kohlis-decision-to-quit-test-captaincy-445655">'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy</a>

Talking about both sides' fortunes in the showpiece event, Team India were eliminated in the Super 12 round whereas Babar-led Pakistan lost the second semi-finals to eventual winners Australia to bow out of the tournament.

India and Pakistan locked horns with each other after a long time during the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. The senior men's cricket teams faced each other for the first time after the 2019 ODI World Cup encounter and the stakes were high this time around as well.

India and Pakistan locked horns with each other after a long time during the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. The senior men's cricket teams faced each other for the first time after the 2019 ODI World Cup encounter and the stakes were high this time around as well. Virat Kohli-led were asked to bat first as the one-time winners managed a modest 151-7, at the iconic Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Losing early wickets, Kohli's 57 and Rishabh Pant's 39, off 30 balls, took India to a respectable total. In reply, openers Babar Azam (68 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (unbeaten 79) took the Men in Green home without losing a single wicket. Recently, Rizwan recalled a hilarious chat with then Indian captain Kohli during the high-voltage clash. During India's innings, the Men in Blue were trying to recover from the early jolts -- with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav getting out for cheap -- courtesy Pant-Kohli's fourth-wicket stand. During their partnership, Pakistan went for a review against Pant -- who played a reverse sweep -- when Rizwan and Kohli had a hilarious conversation. ALSO READ | There was always pressure: Former India pacer shares his take on Virat Kohli's captaincy resignation Speaking to Pakt.tv, Rizwan revealed, "Some things are part of tactics. No doubt Virat Kohli is world’s No. 1. When we play cricket, it’s like family. I remember when we took the review against Pant when he played the reverse sweep, he (Kohli) said… ‘what are you doing? Getting everyone out inside 10 overs?’ But like I said, these are tactics. Later, when I walked out to bat, I spoke to him then too. Rest, whatever chats took place inside the change room, I can’t disclose but I can say that he’s a very nice person." ALSO READ | 'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy Talking about both sides' fortunes in the showpiece event, Team India were eliminated in the Super 12 round whereas Babar-led Pakistan lost the second semi-finals to eventual winners Australia to bow out of the tournament.

'What are you doing' - Rizwan recalls hilarious chat with Kohli during high-voltage Indo-Pak T20 WC tie

Virat Kohli shocked the entire cricketing fraternity when he announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain. The decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation, despite having a 1-0 lead.

By quitting as the Test captain, the 33-year-old Kohli's overall captaincy tenure also came to an end. For the unversed, Kohli had already stepped down as the T20I captain, a decision which he revealed prior to the World Cup in the UAE last year, and was sacked as the ODI skipper as the national selectors wanted only one captain for the white-ball formats. Thus, in less than six months, Kohli's captaincy tenure has come to a halt altogether.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-if-overseas-team-captain-did-it-gavaskar-opines-on-kohlis-stump-mic-rant-feels-it-was-avoidable-445934">What if overseas team captain did it? Gavaskar opines on Kohli's stump mic-rant, feels it was 'avoidable'</a>

Former Indian pacer Atul Wassan shared his take on Kohli's latest decision to step down as the Test captain. Wassan feels the pressure was always there on Kohli following India's T20 World Cup debacle last year.

“Nothing shocks me. What shocked me was MS Dhoni quitting Test captaincy in the middle of the series in Australia. I think the way things have been going by the last couple of months, India’s debacle in the T20 WC, there was pressure on him,” Wassan has told&nbsp;ANI.

“He is not getting runs. At times, he is pointing fingers at other players and as a captain, he must do that to egg them on and I totally support him for that but the problem was that earlier he was leading by example but lately, the thing is his batsmanship has come down," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-rahul-or-pant-vengsarkar-names-two-senior-players-who-can-replace-virat-kohli-as-test-captain-445917">Not Rahul or Pant! Vengsarkar names two senior players who can replace Virat Kohli as Test captain</a>

At present, Kohli is involved in the three-match ODI series between India and the Proteas, in the African nation. KL Rahul is leading the side in limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence (due to hamstring injury).&nbsp;

With Kohli's resignation as the Test captain, the national selectors will also have to name his successor in the coming weeks.

Virat Kohli shocked the entire cricketing fraternity when he announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain. The decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation, despite having a 1-0 lead.

Virat Kohli shocked the entire cricketing fraternity when he announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain. The decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation, despite having a 1-0 lead. By quitting as the Test captain, the 33-year-old Kohli's overall captaincy tenure also came to an end. For the unversed, Kohli had already stepped down as the T20I captain, a decision which he revealed prior to the World Cup in the UAE last year, and was sacked as the ODI skipper as the national selectors wanted only one captain for the white-ball formats. Thus, in less than six months, Kohli's captaincy tenure has come to a halt altogether. ALSO READ | What if overseas team captain did it? Gavaskar opines on Kohli's stump mic-rant, feels it was 'avoidable' Former Indian pacer Atul Wassan shared his take on Kohli's latest decision to step down as the Test captain. Wassan feels the pressure was always there on Kohli following India's T20 World Cup debacle last year. “Nothing shocks me. What shocked me was MS Dhoni quitting Test captaincy in the middle of the series in Australia. I think the way things have been going by the last couple of months, India’s debacle in the T20 WC, there was pressure on him,” Wassan has told ANI. “He is not getting runs. At times, he is pointing fingers at other players and as a captain, he must do that to egg them on and I totally support him for that but the problem was that earlier he was leading by example but lately, the thing is his batsmanship has come down," he further added. ALSO READ | Not Rahul or Pant! Vengsarkar names two senior players who can replace Virat Kohli as Test captain At present, Kohli is involved in the three-match ODI series between India and the Proteas, in the African nation. KL Rahul is leading the side in limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence (due to hamstring injury). With Kohli's resignation as the Test captain, the national selectors will also have to name his successor in the coming weeks.

There was always pressure: Former India pacer shares his take on Virat Kohli's captaincy resignation

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in the red-ball format. India dominated at home, won a Test series in Australia, have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom (held mid-2021), won two games in South Africa and played the inaugural WTC final. Kohli-led India ended as the No. 1 ranked side on five consecutive years in ICC rankings after annual updates.

Thus, with Kohli stepping aside as the Test captain, his overall captaincy tenure as also ended. The national selectors have an important decision to make, with regard to choosing Kohli's successor in whites. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma is leading the race whereas some have suggested youngsters such as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to take over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-left-indian-test-team-in-good-health-cant-say-gautam-gambhir-on-virat-kohlis-captaincy-tenure-445903">'He left Indian Test team in good health, can’t say...' - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure</a>

Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up in this regard and told Gulf News, "If you ask me, it may be a practical idea to have a stop-gap arrangement with Rohit Sharma or even Ravi Ashwin for a year or so and groom someone in the meanwhile."

From his own experience, Vengsarkar revealed how the selection committee had backed Anil Kumble to succeed Rahul Dravid as Test captain, despite many suggesting the then limited-overs captain MS Dhoni's name.&nbsp;

“Interestingly, my committee was faced with a similar situation when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy and we had a demanding Australia tour round the corner. Some felt that MS Dhoni, who was leading in the shorter format, be promoted but we went ahead with Anil Kumble who did a fantastic job,” he recalled.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/seeing-5-6-years-ahead-is-long-time-md-azharuddin-names-virat-kohlis-replacement-as-indias-test-captain-445807">'Seeing 5-6 years ahead is long time': Md. Azharuddin names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's Test captain</a>

Vengsarkar also opined on the reason behind Kohli's sudden resignation as Test captain. Many feel his own form -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- was one of the main reasons for the right-hander's decision. “I don’t agree with this for I feel that Kohli has had a dream run for nearly five years as a batsman and captain. For all the talk about his current lean phase, I feel that Indians are often obsessed with statistics and that’s something that I don’t believe in”, concluded Vengsarkar.

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation. Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in the red-ball format. India dominated at home, won a Test series in Australia, have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom (held mid-2021), won two games in South Africa and played the inaugural WTC final. Kohli-led India ended as the No. 1 ranked side on five consecutive years in ICC rankings after annual updates. Thus, with Kohli stepping aside as the Test captain, his overall captaincy tenure as also ended. The national selectors have an important decision to make, with regard to choosing Kohli's successor in whites. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma is leading the race whereas some have suggested youngsters such as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to take over. ALSO READ | 'He left Indian Test team in good health, can’t say...' - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up in this regard and told Gulf News, "If you ask me, it may be a practical idea to have a stop-gap arrangement with Rohit Sharma or even Ravi Ashwin for a year or so and groom someone in the meanwhile." From his own experience, Vengsarkar revealed how the selection committee had backed Anil Kumble to succeed Rahul Dravid as Test captain, despite many suggesting the then limited-overs captain MS Dhoni's name. “Interestingly, my committee was faced with a similar situation when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy and we had a demanding Australia tour round the corner. Some felt that MS Dhoni, who was leading in the shorter format, be promoted but we went ahead with Anil Kumble who did a fantastic job,” he recalled. ALSO READ | 'Seeing 5-6 years ahead is long time': Md. Azharuddin names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's Test captain Vengsarkar also opined on the reason behind Kohli's sudden resignation as Test captain. Many feel his own form -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- was one of the main reasons for the right-hander's decision. “I don’t agree with this for I feel that Kohli has had a dream run for nearly five years as a batsman and captain. For all the talk about his current lean phase, I feel that Indians are often obsessed with statistics and that’s something that I don’t believe in”, concluded Vengsarkar.

Not Rahul or Pant! Vengsarkar names two senior players who can replace Virat Kohli as Test captain

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Test captain. The decision came as a huge shock for the entire cricketing fraternity, given his impressive record as the skipper in the red-ball format. With him quitting as the Test captain, Kohli's overall captaincy tenure for the national side also came to an end.&nbsp;

In mid-September 2021, Kohli had announced that he would be stepping down as the T20I captain following the World Cup, in the UAE. Post the mega event, he was sacked as the ODI captain before quitting the top post in Test. As the 33-year-old Kohli will now look to play freely -- without additional responsibilities&nbsp;-- in India's upcoming assignments, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Gautam Gambhir opined on Kohli's captaincy tenure. He feels that while the red-ball team is in good health at the time of Kohli's captaincy resignation, he cannot say the same about the white-ball sides.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sure-venkatesh-iyer-is-an-all-rounder-yet-sanjay-manjrekar-on-india-star-ahead-of-south-africa-odis-445816">Not sure Venkatesh Iyer is an all-rounder yet: Sanjay Manjrekar on India star ahead of South Africa ODIs</a>

“Between the last Test and ODI series, the new space has been hogged by Virat resigning from Test captaincy. I think it is an individual’s call and that is how it should be treated. I think Virat left the Indian Test team in good health but I can’t say the same about white-ball cricket. Our bowling resources in Test matches are a neighbor’s envy and owner’s pride. They have shown time and again that they are the engine room for a team’s performance. In limited-overs cricket, I’d have liked to see a more settled middle-order which Virat couldn’t create,” Gambhir wrote in his column for&nbsp;Times of India.

“In my book, Rohit Sharma should lead India across formats with Rahul as his deputy. One captain across formats will ensure consistency in style and approach of the Indian team especially considering that we have another T20 World Cup later this year,” Gambhir asserted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-comes-a-stage-where-you-cant-afridi-opines-on-virat-kohlis-decision-to-quit-test-captaincy-445655">'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy</a>

Rohit Sharma has already replaced Kohli as the white-ball formats' captain. The Test captaincy is now up for grabs following Kohli's resignation, with Rohit, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. in contention for the top job.&nbsp;

At present, Kohli is involved in the three ODIs between India and South Africa in the rainbow nation. Rahul is leading the side in Rohit's absence (due to hamstring injury).

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Test captain. The decision came as a huge shock for the entire cricketing fraternity, given his impressive record as the skipper in the red-ball format.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as the Test captain. The decision came as a huge shock for the entire cricketing fraternity, given his impressive record as the skipper in the red-ball format. With him quitting as the Test captain, Kohli's overall captaincy tenure for the national side also came to an end. In mid-September 2021, Kohli had announced that he would be stepping down as the T20I captain following the World Cup, in the UAE. Post the mega event, he was sacked as the ODI captain before quitting the top post in Test. As the 33-year-old Kohli will now look to play freely -- without additional responsibilities -- in India's upcoming assignments, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Gautam Gambhir opined on Kohli's captaincy tenure. He feels that while the red-ball team is in good health at the time of Kohli's captaincy resignation, he cannot say the same about the white-ball sides. ALSO READ | Not sure Venkatesh Iyer is an all-rounder yet: Sanjay Manjrekar on India star ahead of South Africa ODIs “Between the last Test and ODI series, the new space has been hogged by Virat resigning from Test captaincy. I think it is an individual’s call and that is how it should be treated. I think Virat left the Indian Test team in good health but I can’t say the same about white-ball cricket. Our bowling resources in Test matches are a neighbor’s envy and owner’s pride. They have shown time and again that they are the engine room for a team’s performance. In limited-overs cricket, I’d have liked to see a more settled middle-order which Virat couldn’t create,” Gambhir wrote in his column for Times of India. “In my book, Rohit Sharma should lead India across formats with Rahul as his deputy. One captain across formats will ensure consistency in style and approach of the Indian team especially considering that we have another T20 World Cup later this year,” Gambhir asserted. ALSO READ | 'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy Rohit Sharma has already replaced Kohli as the white-ball formats' captain. The Test captaincy is now up for grabs following Kohli's resignation, with Rohit, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. in contention for the top job. At present, Kohli is involved in the three ODIs between India and South Africa in the rainbow nation. Rahul is leading the side in Rohit's absence (due to hamstring injury).

'He left Indian Test team in good health, can’t say...' - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure

Virat Kohli resigned as the Indian Test captain on Saturday (January 15), shocking the entire cricket fraternity. The 33-year-old took over as the Test captain, from MS Dhoni, in late 2014 and led the side in the purest format from 2015-2021.&nbsp;

Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in whites, winning a Test series in Australia, taking an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the United Kingdom in mid-2021 -- in an incomplete five-match series -- won two Tests in South Africa, dominated at home and played the inaugural WTC final.

Kohli stepped down as the Test captain a day after India lost the three-match series versus Dean Elgar-led South Africa in the national side's ongoing tour of the African nation.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-given-an-opportunity-to-lead-india-jasprit-bumrah-opines-on-prospect-of-leading-team-india-445457">'If given an opportunity to lead India.....' - Jasprit Bumrah opines on prospect of leading Team India</a>

In the press conference ahead of the three ODIs versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation on Wednesday (January 19),&nbsp;pacer Jasprit Bumrah reacted to Kohli quitting as Test captain. He said,&nbsp;"See, I am not here to give a judgment on Virat's decision to leave Test captaincy. It is a personal decision, we respect his decision. He knows how his body is reacting and what frame of mind he is in. I respect that, it has been an immense pleasure to play under Virat Kohli, I made my Test debut under him. He brings a lot of energy to the side. He will always be a leader in the group and his contribution has always been immense."&nbsp;

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In addition, the 28-year-old Bumrah clarified that the players were aware about Kohli before he made it official, via a post from his official Twitter handle. "We are close as a team unit, we got to know about his decision in a team meeting that he will stand down as the Test captain. We respect his decision, we value his leadership. We congratulated him for what he achieved as a leader of this side," Bumrah added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jaffer-mentions-quality-kohli-developed-which-india-never-had-suggests-ideal-candidates-as-his-successor-445436">Jaffer mentions quality Kohli developed 'which India never had', suggests ideal candidates as his successor</a>

Bumrah heaped praise on Kohli as a leader and pointed out, "Virat has been the leader of our team, he is energy-driven and he has brought a lot of change to Indian cricket. Everybody got fitter in the team, his contribution has been immense. He is a very important player in the group, his assistance, and knowledge of the game would always be used by the team. He will add inputs and suggestions, we all look up to him."

For the unversed, Bumrah will serve as the vice-captain in the upcoming three ODIs between India and South Africa. KL Rahul will lead the side with limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma ruled out due to hamstring injury.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli resigned as the Indian Test captain on Saturday (January 15), shocking the entire cricket fraternity. The 33-year-old took over as the Test captain, from MS Dhoni, in late 2014 and led the side in the purest format from 2015-2021.

Virat Kohli resigned as the Indian Test captain on Saturday (January 15), shocking the entire cricket fraternity. The 33-year-old took over as the Test captain, from MS Dhoni, in late 2014 and led the side in the purest format from 2015-2021. Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in whites, winning a Test series in Australia, taking an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the United Kingdom in mid-2021 -- in an incomplete five-match series -- won two Tests in South Africa, dominated at home and played the inaugural WTC final. Kohli stepped down as the Test captain a day after India lost the three-match series versus Dean Elgar-led South Africa in the national side's ongoing tour of the African nation. ALSO READ | 'If given an opportunity to lead India.....' - Jasprit Bumrah opines on prospect of leading Team India In the press conference ahead of the three ODIs versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation on Wednesday (January 19), pacer Jasprit Bumrah reacted to Kohli quitting as Test captain. He said, "See, I am not here to give a judgment on Virat's decision to leave Test captaincy. It is a personal decision, we respect his decision. He knows how his body is reacting and what frame of mind he is in. I respect that, it has been an immense pleasure to play under Virat Kohli, I made my Test debut under him. He brings a lot of energy to the side. He will always be a leader in the group and his contribution has always been immense." × In addition, the 28-year-old Bumrah clarified that the players were aware about Kohli before he made it official, via a post from his official Twitter handle. "We are close as a team unit, we got to know about his decision in a team meeting that he will stand down as the Test captain. We respect his decision, we value his leadership. We congratulated him for what he achieved as a leader of this side," Bumrah added. ALSO READ | Jaffer mentions quality Kohli developed 'which India never had', suggests ideal candidates as his successor Bumrah heaped praise on Kohli as a leader and pointed out, "Virat has been the leader of our team, he is energy-driven and he has brought a lot of change to Indian cricket. Everybody got fitter in the team, his contribution has been immense. He is a very important player in the group, his assistance, and knowledge of the game would always be used by the team. He will add inputs and suggestions, we all look up to him." For the unversed, Bumrah will serve as the vice-captain in the upcoming three ODIs between India and South Africa. KL Rahul will lead the side with limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma ruled out due to hamstring injury.

I am not here to give a judgment: Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli quitting as Test captain

Virat Kohli dropped a shocker on Saturday (January 15) as he surprisingly announced that he is stepping down as the captain of the Indian Test team with immediate effect. Kohli's decision came just a day after India lost the three-match Test series against South Africa 2-1. The decision baffled many as Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test leaders of all time.

Nonetheless, he signed off as India's most successful captain of all time in Tests with an impressive 40 wins in 68 matches as captain. Ever since Kohli's decision, there have been speculations surrounding BCCI's role in the entire saga with many blaming the board for playing a role in forcing Kohli out.

The speculations have arisen from the fact that it was not long ago that Kohli and the Indian cricket board had a public fallout over his sacking as ODI captain of the team. In an explosive press conference ahead of the South Africa tour in December last year, Kohli had openly contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's comments about his removal as ODI captain.

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BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, however, in his tweet, clarified that the decision to leave Test captaincy was entirely Kohli's call and that he had no pressure from the BCCI. Reacting to Kohli's move and Ganguly's tweet on it, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif made some bold claims.

Latif believes the real reason behind Kohli's decision to leave Test captaincy can be his tiff with the BCCI and board president Ganguly. The former Pakistan captain said it is a battle between the two stalwarts of Indian cricket.

"The real reason why these things happen is because you have a tiff with the board. Irrespective of what Virat says that it's his decision or what Sourav Ganguly tweets, this is battle of two stalwarts," Rashid Latif said in a video on his YouTube channel Caught Behind.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-was-tired-was-his-decision-alone-to-leave-test-captaincy-rohit-likely-to-take-over-report-445179">Virat Kohli was 'tired', was his decision alone to leave Test captaincy; Rohit likely to take over - Report</a>

You have unsettled Indian cricket: Rashid Latif slams BCCI

Former Pakistan captain Latif also slammed the BCCI for targeting Kohli unnecessarily since his decision to step down as the T20I captain of the team last year. Kohli had last year announced that he will not remain India's T20I skipper post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 but had expressed his desire to continue leading the side in ODIs and Tests.

However, he was later removed as the ODI captain with the BCCI biggies reasoning that the selectors wanted to have one white-ball captain going forward. Latif criticised the Indian cricket board, accusing them of not just unsettling Kohli, one of the greatest in midern-day cricket but also Indian cricket.

"Some people are emotional. They know when and how to provoke Kohli. When he announced that he won't captain India in T20Is after the World Cup, he was removed as ODI captain as well. You haven't only unsettled Kohli; you've unsettled Indian cricket,"

Virat Kohli dropped a shocker on Saturday (January 15) as he surprisingly announced that he is stepping down as the captain of the Indian Test team with immediate effect.

Virat Kohli dropped a shocker on Saturday (January 15) as he surprisingly announced that he is stepping down as the captain of the Indian Test team with immediate effect. Kohli's decision came just a day after India lost the three-match Test series against South Africa 2-1. The decision baffled many as Kohli was on his way to becoming one of the greatest Test leaders of all time. Nonetheless, he signed off as India's most successful captain of all time in Tests with an impressive 40 wins in 68 matches as captain. Ever since Kohli's decision, there have been speculations surrounding BCCI's role in the entire saga with many blaming the board for playing a role in forcing Kohli out. The speculations have arisen from the fact that it was not long ago that Kohli and the Indian cricket board had a public fallout over his sacking as ODI captain of the team. In an explosive press conference ahead of the South Africa tour in December last year, Kohli had openly contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's comments about his removal as ODI captain. × BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, however, in his tweet, clarified that the decision to leave Test captaincy was entirely Kohli's call and that he had no pressure from the BCCI. Reacting to Kohli's move and Ganguly's tweet on it, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif made some bold claims. Latif believes the real reason behind Kohli's decision to leave Test captaincy can be his tiff with the BCCI and board president Ganguly. The former Pakistan captain said it is a battle between the two stalwarts of Indian cricket. "The real reason why these things happen is because you have a tiff with the board. Irrespective of what Virat says that it's his decision or what Sourav Ganguly tweets, this is battle of two stalwarts," Rashid Latif said in a video on his YouTube channel Caught Behind. Also Read: Virat Kohli was 'tired', was his decision alone to leave Test captaincy; Rohit likely to take over - Report You have unsettled Indian cricket: Rashid Latif slams BCCI Former Pakistan captain Latif also slammed the BCCI for targeting Kohli unnecessarily since his decision to step down as the T20I captain of the team last year. Kohli had last year announced that he will not remain India's T20I skipper post the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 but had expressed his desire to continue leading the side in ODIs and Tests. However, he was later removed as the ODI captain with the BCCI biggies reasoning that the selectors wanted to have one white-ball captain going forward. Latif criticised the Indian cricket board, accusing them of not just unsettling Kohli, one of the greatest in midern-day cricket but also Indian cricket. "Some people are emotional. They know when and how to provoke Kohli. When he announced that he won't captain India in T20Is after the World Cup, he was removed as ODI captain as well. You haven't only unsettled Kohli; you've unsettled Indian cricket,"

Irrespective of what Kohli says or what Ganguly tweets, it's battle of two stalwarts, says ex-Pakistan captain