<p>Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels Ravi Shastri's recent comments clearly have an agenda behind them. Manjrekar, who has played for Shastri for the Indian team during his playing days, said he admired the former India head coach for being supportive towards youngsters and being a fighter during his playing days.</p>

<p>However, Shastri's recent comments on cricketing affairs have left Manjrekar unimpressed. Shastri had recently said Virat Kohli could have continued to captain India in Tests for another couple of years and become the most successful captain of all time in the longest format but many wouldn't have been able to digest his success.</p>

<p>Kohli stepped down as India's Test captain earlier this month with 40 wins to his name in 68 matches as a skipper in the longest format. He is India's most successful captain of all time in Test history. Reacting to Shastri's comments about many not being able to 'digest' Kohli's success, Manjrkar said it was not an 'accurate cricketing observation'.</p>

<p>"I don't have an idea. I was a huge admirer of Ravi Shastri. I played under him, he gave players support, a great fighter, senior. This Shastri 2.0 I don't understand. What he says in public is expected, I don't react to it", Manjrekar&nbsp;told <em>News18.</em></p>

<p>"I don't want to be disrespectful. He doesn't make very intelligent comments, you can see the agenda behind it. It's not an accurate cricketing observation," he added.</p>

<p>Kohli had announced his decision to leave India's Test captaincy, a day after the team's 2-1 defeat in the Test series against South Africa. The decision had sent shockwaves across the cricket fraternity as Kohli had earlier expressed his desire to continue leading India in Tests and ODIs when resigning from the T20I captaincy last year.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/itll-do-him-a-world-of-good-ex-head-coach-ravi-shastri-suggests-how-virat-kohli-can-rejuvenate-his-form-448400">&nbsp;It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form</a></p>

<p>At the time of leaving T20I captaincy, Kohli had said he wanted to manage his workload going forward and was thus giving up the leadership role in the shortest format. He was later replaced by Rohit Sharma as ODI captain as the selectors wanted one captain to lead in white-ball cricket. After being sacked as ODI captain, Kohli also decided to quit Test captaincy.</p>


Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels Ravi Shastri's recent comments clearly have an agenda behind them. Manjrekar, who has played for Shastri for the Indian team during his playing days, said he admired the former India head coach for being supportive towards youngsters and being a fighter during his playing days.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels Ravi Shastri's recent comments clearly have an agenda behind them. Manjrekar, who has played for Shastri for the Indian team during his playing days, said he admired the former India head coach for being supportive towards youngsters and being a fighter during his playing days. However, Shastri's recent comments on cricketing affairs have left Manjrekar unimpressed. Shastri had recently said Virat Kohli could have continued to captain India in Tests for another couple of years and become the most successful captain of all time in the longest format but many wouldn't have been able to digest his success. Kohli stepped down as India's Test captain earlier this month with 40 wins to his name in 68 matches as a skipper in the longest format. He is India's most successful captain of all time in Test history. Reacting to Shastri's comments about many not being able to 'digest' Kohli's success, Manjrkar said it was not an 'accurate cricketing observation'. "I don't have an idea. I was a huge admirer of Ravi Shastri. I played under him, he gave players support, a great fighter, senior. This Shastri 2.0 I don't understand. What he says in public is expected, I don't react to it", Manjrekar told News18. "I don't want to be disrespectful. He doesn't make very intelligent comments, you can see the agenda behind it. It's not an accurate cricketing observation," he added. Kohli had announced his decision to leave India's Test captaincy, a day after the team's 2-1 defeat in the Test series against South Africa. The decision had sent shockwaves across the cricket fraternity as Kohli had earlier expressed his desire to continue leading India in Tests and ODIs when resigning from the T20I captaincy last year. Also Read: It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form At the time of leaving T20I captaincy, Kohli had said he wanted to manage his workload going forward and was thus giving up the leadership role in the shortest format. He was later replaced by Rohit Sharma as ODI captain as the selectors wanted one captain to lead in white-ball cricket. After being sacked as ODI captain, Kohli also decided to quit Test captaincy.

I don't want to be disrespectful but Ravi Shastri's recent comments have agenda: Sanjay Manjrekar

<p>A lot of things have transpired in Indian cricket following their tour of England and IPL 2021. Since the T20 World Cup debacle, in the UAE, Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended and he was replaced by Rahul Dravid. With Dravid stepping in, plethora of changes have taken place in the leadership group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Virat Kohli was set to step down as the T20I captain post the World Cup, he was sacked as the ODI captain with Rohit Sharma replacing him as the white-ball skipper. During the South Africa tour, Kohli also stepped down as the Test captain following the red-ball series. Thus, the upcoming months are a tough and dicey period for Indian cricket, which is undergoing a transition in the senior men's team.</p>

<p>Many veteran players such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, etc. are also fighting for their spots due to intense competition with the younger bunch of players and their own dip in form. Thus, Shastri opened up on the transition period in Indian cricket and shared a word of advice for his successor Dravid.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/itll-do-him-a-world-of-good-ex-head-coach-ravi-shastri-suggests-how-virat-kohli-can-rejuvenate-his-form-448400">It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking on Shoaib Akhtar's Youtube channel, Shastri said, “It’s a very important period for Indian cricket, there will be a period of transition in the next 8-10 months. It’s important to identify the right kind of players who will take you forward in 4-5 years. I always believe that there should be a mix between youth and experience.</p>

<p>"Sometimes change is needed if you aim for the future. This is the time. They need to look for youth in the next six months, need to be quick. If you stick with the same for too long a period then the adjustment will be very difficult," he opined.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-told-ravi-shastri-boss-its-time-to-go-personal-attacks-have-hurt-india-ex-pakistan-captain-448343"><strong>Sourav Ganguly told Ravi Shastri 'boss it's time to go', personal attacks have hurt India: Ex-Pakistan captain</strong></a></p>

<p>Dravid-Rohit-led Indian team is currently gearing up for their upcoming white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. They will play three ODIs and T20Is, each, before hosting Sri Lanka in two Tests and three T20Is. The action will then shift to the IPL 2022 edition.</p>


A lot of things have transpired in Indian cricket following their tour of England and IPL 2021. Since the T20 World Cup debacle, in the UAE, Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended and he was replaced by Rahul Dravid.

A lot of things have transpired in Indian cricket following their tour of England and IPL 2021. Since the T20 World Cup debacle, in the UAE, Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended and he was replaced by Rahul Dravid. With Dravid stepping in, plethora of changes have taken place in the leadership group. While Virat Kohli was set to step down as the T20I captain post the World Cup, he was sacked as the ODI captain with Rohit Sharma replacing him as the white-ball skipper. During the South Africa tour, Kohli also stepped down as the Test captain following the red-ball series. Thus, the upcoming months are a tough and dicey period for Indian cricket, which is undergoing a transition in the senior men's team. Many veteran players such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, etc. are also fighting for their spots due to intense competition with the younger bunch of players and their own dip in form. Thus, Shastri opened up on the transition period in Indian cricket and shared a word of advice for his successor Dravid. ALSO READ | It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form Talking on Shoaib Akhtar's Youtube channel, Shastri said, “It’s a very important period for Indian cricket, there will be a period of transition in the next 8-10 months. It’s important to identify the right kind of players who will take you forward in 4-5 years. I always believe that there should be a mix between youth and experience. "Sometimes change is needed if you aim for the future. This is the time. They need to look for youth in the next six months, need to be quick. If you stick with the same for too long a period then the adjustment will be very difficult," he opined. ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly told Ravi Shastri 'boss it's time to go', personal attacks have hurt India: Ex-Pakistan captain Dravid-Rohit-led Indian team is currently gearing up for their upcoming white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. They will play three ODIs and T20Is, each, before hosting Sri Lanka in two Tests and three T20Is. The action will then shift to the IPL 2022 edition.

'If you stick with the same for too long.....': Ravi Shastri shares word of advice for successor Rahul Dravid

<p>A lot has changed in Indian cricket in the past few months, especially in the senior men's team. Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the limited-overs captain, after Virat Kohli resigned as the T20I captain and was sacked as the ODI skipper.</p>

<p>After the India-South Africa series, in the rainbow nation early this year, Kohli also resigned as the Test captain. Many believe his fallout with the BCCI and India's T20 World Cup debacle were the reasons behind the 33-year-old resigning from captaincy altogether. Moreover, Kohli's own form hasn't been as per his standards, even though he continues to contribute with vital fifties across formats.</p>

<p>Thus, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri opened up on Kohli's decision of quitting as Test captain and also suggested how the right-hander can come back to his usual best with the bat.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-told-ravi-shastri-boss-its-time-to-go-personal-attacks-have-hurt-india-ex-pakistan-captain-448343"><strong>Sourav Ganguly told Ravi Shastri 'boss it's time to go', personal attacks have hurt India: Ex-Pakistan captain</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to Shoaib Akhtar for the former Pakistan cricketer's YouTube channel, Shastri opined on Kohli's recent decisions and said,&nbsp;"The pressure started building. People were looking for opportunities. No human being is perfect. I have seen greats of the game quit captaincy to focus on their cricket whether it's Gavaskar, Tendulkar or MS. He played 94 (90) Tests, he could have easily played 10 or 15 more matches but he gave it up.</p>

<p>"He realises he is 33, he realises he has 5 years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well, I think, if he goes out for 2-3 months, if he takes a break from one series, it will do him a world of good," Shastri further suggested.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-rishabh-pant-top-5-contenders-who-can-succeed-virat-kohli-as-indias-test-captain-448152">From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain</a></strong></p>

<p>He added, "I think, with Virat also he realised it was getting to him, especially in this bio-bubble environment, leading in all 3 formats of the game. You can't take a break also. He did the right thing by quitting from white-ball cricket. When it came to Test cricket, I was a little surprised because for the last 5 years we were the No. 1 team in the longest format of the game.</p>

<p>"After one series defeat, it doesn't mean he had to quit captaincy. At the end of the day, I always respect a cricketer's judgement because I don't know what he is feeling. Sometimes when it comes to here (neck), your body tells you 'enough'."</p>

<p>Kohli will next be seen in the forthcoming India-West Indies ODIs and T20Is at home. The WI tour of India commences on February 6 with the three ODIs to be held in Ahmedabad whereas the T20Is will take place at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.</p>


A lot has changed in Indian cricket in the past few months, especially in the senior men's team. Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the limited-overs captain, after Virat Kohli resigned as the T20I captain and was sacked as the ODI skipper.

A lot has changed in Indian cricket in the past few months, especially in the senior men's team. Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the limited-overs captain, after Virat Kohli resigned as the T20I captain and was sacked as the ODI skipper. After the India-South Africa series, in the rainbow nation early this year, Kohli also resigned as the Test captain. Many believe his fallout with the BCCI and India's T20 World Cup debacle were the reasons behind the 33-year-old resigning from captaincy altogether. Moreover, Kohli's own form hasn't been as per his standards, even though he continues to contribute with vital fifties across formats. Thus, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri opened up on Kohli's decision of quitting as Test captain and also suggested how the right-hander can come back to his usual best with the bat. ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly told Ravi Shastri 'boss it's time to go', personal attacks have hurt India: Ex-Pakistan captain Speaking to Shoaib Akhtar for the former Pakistan cricketer's YouTube channel, Shastri opined on Kohli's recent decisions and said, "The pressure started building. People were looking for opportunities. No human being is perfect. I have seen greats of the game quit captaincy to focus on their cricket whether it's Gavaskar, Tendulkar or MS. He played 94 (90) Tests, he could have easily played 10 or 15 more matches but he gave it up. "He realises he is 33, he realises he has 5 years of good cricket ahead of him. If he can calm down, focus on his batting, take one game at a time, probably take a break from the game as well, I think, if he goes out for 2-3 months, if he takes a break from one series, it will do him a world of good," Shastri further suggested. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain He added, "I think, with Virat also he realised it was getting to him, especially in this bio-bubble environment, leading in all 3 formats of the game. You can't take a break also. He did the right thing by quitting from white-ball cricket. When it came to Test cricket, I was a little surprised because for the last 5 years we were the No. 1 team in the longest format of the game. "After one series defeat, it doesn't mean he had to quit captaincy. At the end of the day, I always respect a cricketer's judgement because I don't know what he is feeling. Sometimes when it comes to here (neck), your body tells you 'enough'." Kohli will next be seen in the forthcoming India-West Indies ODIs and T20Is at home. The WI tour of India commences on February 6 with the three ODIs to be held in Ahmedabad whereas the T20Is will take place at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form

<p>Indian cricket has undergone significant changes since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. While Ravi Shastri was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the new head coach, Virat Kohli is no more leading India in any format of the game. Kohli had stepped down as T20I captain willingly last year before being sacked as the ODI captain.</p>

<p>He decided to quit Test captaincy earlier this month which has further resulted in turmoil in Indian cricket. With the team suffering crushing defeats in both the Test and the ODI series against South Africa recently, questions have been raised on the side's morale and confidence going forward.</p>

<p>Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not dealing with the situation properly. Latif believes BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had a role to play in Shastri's exit as head coach and that BCCI would not have let the former all-rounder continue in his role even if he wanted to after his contract expired.</p>

<p>"All this began happening when Anil Kumble was wrongly removed as coach. Ravi Shastri had taken no coaching courses and yet he directly took entry as the coach. This was a strong group – Kumble had over 600 wickets and Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were his teammates. This trio is very strong," Latif said in a video on YouTube channel <em>Caught Behind.</em></p>

<p>Latif claimed Shastri was told by BCCI president Ganguly that there was no way he can get another extension as head coach and that it was time for him to go. Shastri had announced before the T20 World Cup 2021 that he will be leaving the India head coach post after the conclusion of the tournament last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, as per the former Pakistan captain, Ganguly had a role in his exit and such personal attacks have hurt Indian cricket in the last few months.</p>

<p>"By all means, Ganguly told Shastri 'boss, it's time to go' even if Shastri had considered continuing as coach. This whole thing has been building up since before the T20 World Cup, these are personal attacks and it has impacted Indian cricket. What happened with Pakistan in the early 1990s is happening today with Indian cricket," Latif said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/should-jasprit-bumrah-succeed-virat-kohli-as-indias-test-captain-ex-head-coach-ravi-shastri-answers-448201">Should Jasprit Bumrah succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain? Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri answers</a></p>

<p>Latif believes KL Rahul isn't the right guy to help Indian cricket recover from the current situation and he feels Rohit Sharma will have to work hard on his fitness to ensure he can manage his workload well and take Indian cricket forward.</p>

<p>"Such off-field tensions hamper the performances of the team and that is exactly what has happened. Who was sitting with Kohli? Siraj, on the left. On his right, there were players who nobody knew. That picture stated it all. KL Rahul cannot handle the team, and it remains to be seen how Rohit Sharma maintains his fitness if he is to be the man to usher Indian cricket into the future," he added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indian cricket has undergone significant changes since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. While Ravi Shastri was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the new head coach, Virat Kohli is no more leading India in any format of the game.

Indian cricket has undergone significant changes since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. While Ravi Shastri was replaced by Rahul Dravid as the new head coach, Virat Kohli is no more leading India in any format of the game. Kohli had stepped down as T20I captain willingly last year before being sacked as the ODI captain. He decided to quit Test captaincy earlier this month which has further resulted in turmoil in Indian cricket. With the team suffering crushing defeats in both the Test and the ODI series against South Africa recently, questions have been raised on the side's morale and confidence going forward. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not dealing with the situation properly. Latif believes BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had a role to play in Shastri's exit as head coach and that BCCI would not have let the former all-rounder continue in his role even if he wanted to after his contract expired. "All this began happening when Anil Kumble was wrongly removed as coach. Ravi Shastri had taken no coaching courses and yet he directly took entry as the coach. This was a strong group – Kumble had over 600 wickets and Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were his teammates. This trio is very strong," Latif said in a video on YouTube channel Caught Behind. Latif claimed Shastri was told by BCCI president Ganguly that there was no way he can get another extension as head coach and that it was time for him to go. Shastri had announced before the T20 World Cup 2021 that he will be leaving the India head coach post after the conclusion of the tournament last year. However, as per the former Pakistan captain, Ganguly had a role in his exit and such personal attacks have hurt Indian cricket in the last few months. "By all means, Ganguly told Shastri 'boss, it's time to go' even if Shastri had considered continuing as coach. This whole thing has been building up since before the T20 World Cup, these are personal attacks and it has impacted Indian cricket. What happened with Pakistan in the early 1990s is happening today with Indian cricket," Latif said. Also Read: Should Jasprit Bumrah succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain? Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri answers Latif believes KL Rahul isn't the right guy to help Indian cricket recover from the current situation and he feels Rohit Sharma will have to work hard on his fitness to ensure he can manage his workload well and take Indian cricket forward. "Such off-field tensions hamper the performances of the team and that is exactly what has happened. Who was sitting with Kohli? Siraj, on the left. On his right, there were players who nobody knew. That picture stated it all. KL Rahul cannot handle the team, and it remains to be seen how Rohit Sharma maintains his fitness if he is to be the man to usher Indian cricket into the future," he added.

Sourav Ganguly told Ravi Shastri 'boss it's time to go', personal attacks have hurt India: Ex-Pakistan captain

<p>The senior Indian men's cricket team is going through a transition period of late. While Virat Kohli was succeeded by Rohit Sharma as India's white-ball captain, the 33-year-old Kohli resigned as the Test captain as well on January 15, a day after the national side went down to South Africa in the three Tests in the rainbow nation.</p>

<p>After Kohli's resignation, all eyes are now on who will succeed him as the Test captain. Under Kohli, India had a great run in the red-ball format. The national team dominated in whites at home, won a Test series in Australia, ensured an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the United Kingdom during the incomplete five Tests in mid-2021 and ended as runners-up in the inaugural WTC final.</p>

<p>Hence, Kohli's successor will have a huge task to take the team forward. At present, there are five contenders to succeed Kohli, in the form of Rohit, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant along with R Ashwin's name also doing the rounds in some discussions.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-rishabh-pant-top-5-contenders-who-can-succeed-virat-kohli-as-indias-test-captain-448152"><strong>From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking on Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar's Youtube channel, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri also joined the bandwagon. While he had earlier stated that Rohit can take over in whites, Shastri pointed out why he doesn't think Bumrah will get the nod. He&nbsp;said, "No, I never thought of it. In India we've had enough. And I never thought in that fashion at that time. In India it's going to be difficult for a fast bowler to captain. A fast bowler captain has to be an all-rounder basically or he has to be a Bob Willis kind of captain who in conditions where they play, a fast bowler will always be in the game, he will be aggressive."</p>

<p>"He'll be looking to win games and take wickets. Very rarely has a fast bowler been there for too long. Unless he is a genuine all-rounder like Kapil, Imran or Sir Garfield," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-cant-harbhajan-names-virat-kohlis-successor-as-test-captain-if-rohit-sharma-declines-offer-448070"><strong>'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<em>Sports Tak,&nbsp;</em>recently Harbhajan Singh had backed Bumrah to take the top job and said<em>,&nbsp;</em>"According to me, Rohit Sharma should be the captain of all three formats. If he is totally fit then he should captain all three formats. If Rohit feels that he doesn't want to captain all three formats. Then in Test cricket, I am on Jasprit Bumrah's side. He should be given the captaincy because a fast bowler is always thought that they think too big."</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see who succeeds Kohli. India's next red-ball assignment is at home, versus Sri Lanka starting in end February.&nbsp;</p>


The senior Indian men's cricket team is going through a transition period of late. While Virat Kohli was succeeded by Rohit Sharma as India's white-ball captain, the 33-year-old Kohli resigned as the Test captain as well on January 15, a day after the national side went down to South Africa in the three Tests in the rainbow nation.

The senior Indian men's cricket team is going through a transition period of late. While Virat Kohli was succeeded by Rohit Sharma as India's white-ball captain, the 33-year-old Kohli resigned as the Test captain as well on January 15, a day after the national side went down to South Africa in the three Tests in the rainbow nation. After Kohli's resignation, all eyes are now on who will succeed him as the Test captain. Under Kohli, India had a great run in the red-ball format. The national team dominated in whites at home, won a Test series in Australia, ensured an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the United Kingdom during the incomplete five Tests in mid-2021 and ended as runners-up in the inaugural WTC final. Hence, Kohli's successor will have a huge task to take the team forward. At present, there are five contenders to succeed Kohli, in the form of Rohit, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant along with R Ashwin's name also doing the rounds in some discussions. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain Speaking on Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar's Youtube channel, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri also joined the bandwagon. While he had earlier stated that Rohit can take over in whites, Shastri pointed out why he doesn't think Bumrah will get the nod. He said, "No, I never thought of it. In India we've had enough. And I never thought in that fashion at that time. In India it's going to be difficult for a fast bowler to captain. A fast bowler captain has to be an all-rounder basically or he has to be a Bob Willis kind of captain who in conditions where they play, a fast bowler will always be in the game, he will be aggressive." "He'll be looking to win games and take wickets. Very rarely has a fast bowler been there for too long. Unless he is a genuine all-rounder like Kapil, Imran or Sir Garfield," he added. ALSO READ | 'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer Speaking to Sports Tak, recently Harbhajan Singh had backed Bumrah to take the top job and said, "According to me, Rohit Sharma should be the captain of all three formats. If he is totally fit then he should captain all three formats. If Rohit feels that he doesn't want to captain all three formats. Then in Test cricket, I am on Jasprit Bumrah's side. He should be given the captaincy because a fast bowler is always thought that they think too big." It will be interesting to see who succeeds Kohli. India's next red-ball assignment is at home, versus Sri Lanka starting in end February.

Should Jasprit Bumrah succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain? Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri answers

Paparazzi and its obsession with star kids: The most in-news Bollywood kids

<p>Team India returned from a disastrous tour of South Africa, losing the three Tests 2-1 and being whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. In limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul led the side in the 50-over series where the national side produced a listless performance.</p>

<p>India's bowlers failed to get regular breakthroughs throughout the course of the series whereas the middle and lower-order batting remains a cause of concern. After the three ODIs, it is widely believed that India need an urgent transformation in the white-ball formats. The Men in Blue need to rejig their batting line-up, play more fearlessly and include more specialists in the two shorter formats.</p>

<p>In this regard, veteran keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has opined that star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja can solve India's middle and lower-order struggles. Karthik suggested for Jadeja to bat at No. 6 going ahead.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930"><strong>BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</strong></a></p>

<p>"Jadeja is ready to bat at No.6. In fact, he is batting so well that he can play at No.5 as well. He is using his brain and is not that reckless kid anymore," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.</p>

<p>"He is someone who is winning games with the bat. In fact, in white-ball cricket, his stronger suit is his batting," Karthik added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shastri-opines-on-kohli-rohit-and-dhonis-personalities-reveals-whose-phone-number-he-doesnt-have-448040"><strong>Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have</strong></a></p>

<p>At present, Jadeja is out of contention for a spot across formats due to knee injury. On Wednesday (January 26), the BCCI selectors named a strong ODI and T20I squad for Rohit-led India's West Indies series, at home. Jadeja missed out as he is still not fully fit from his knee injury. The star player remains an indispensable part of the Indian team across formats.</p>


Team India returned from a disastrous tour of South Africa, losing the three Tests 2-1 and being whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. In limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul led the side in the 50-over series where the national side produced a listless performance.

Team India returned from a disastrous tour of South Africa, losing the three Tests 2-1 and being whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. In limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul led the side in the 50-over series where the national side produced a listless performance. India's bowlers failed to get regular breakthroughs throughout the course of the series whereas the middle and lower-order batting remains a cause of concern. After the three ODIs, it is widely believed that India need an urgent transformation in the white-ball formats. The Men in Blue need to rejig their batting line-up, play more fearlessly and include more specialists in the two shorter formats. In this regard, veteran keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has opined that star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja can solve India's middle and lower-order struggles. Karthik suggested for Jadeja to bat at No. 6 going ahead. ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out "Jadeja is ready to bat at No.6. In fact, he is batting so well that he can play at No.5 as well. He is using his brain and is not that reckless kid anymore," Karthik said on Cricbuzz. "He is someone who is winning games with the bat. In fact, in white-ball cricket, his stronger suit is his batting," Karthik added. ALSO READ | Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have At present, Jadeja is out of contention for a spot across formats due to knee injury. On Wednesday (January 26), the BCCI selectors named a strong ODI and T20I squad for Rohit-led India's West Indies series, at home. Jadeja missed out as he is still not fully fit from his knee injury. The star player remains an indispensable part of the Indian team across formats.

'Not that reckless kid': Karthik suggests star player to bat at No. 6 and address India's middle-order woes

From Rohit Sharma to Rishabh Pant: Top 5 contenders who can succeed Virat Kohli as India's Test captain

<p>In Rohit Sharma's absence, Team India gave a listless performance in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. With limited-overs captain Rohit being ruled out due to hamstring injury, KL Rahul was appointed the captain of the ODI setup as the national side were whitewashed in the series.</p>

<p>Rahul had a disastrous start to his captaincy career in the recently-concluded South Africa tour. With Virat Kohli missing the second and penultimate Test in Johannesburg, due to upper back spasm, Rahul had even captained India in the purest format during the SA tour. However, he failed to take India to victory in the one Test and three ODIs as stand-in captain.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-cant-harbhajan-names-virat-kohlis-successor-as-test-captain-if-rohit-sharma-declines-offer-448070"><strong>'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to Sportskeeda, former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary has questioned the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee for grooming Rahul and appointing him the stand-in captain in SA. He said,&nbsp;"First of all, I want to ask the selectors, "What did you see in Rahul as captaincy material?" Suddenly, they’re saying that they’re grooming him as a future captain. I don’t understand how you can "groom" a captain. A person is either a born leader or he isn’t."</p>

<p>"Captaincy comes naturally, it’s an inbuilt quality. Grooming a captain is possible, but the process will take a long time. It will take a player around 20 to 25 games to learn about decision-making, but even then success will not be guaranteed. See, every international match is important for India," Tiwary added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shastri-opines-on-kohli-rohit-and-dhonis-personalities-reveals-whose-phone-number-he-doesnt-have-448040"><strong>Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have</strong></a></p>

<p>Despite India's listless performance in the ODIs under Rahul's captaincy, he is being touted as the future leader. Rahul is already the limited-overs vice-captain and can also take the captaincy role in Tests following Kohli's resignation post the SA series. While Rohit is the frontrunner to become the all-format captain, fitness remains a concern with Hitman and, hence, Rahul has a chance to become the Test captain (or at least the vice-captain).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


In Rohit Sharma's absence, Team India gave a listless performance in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. With limited-overs captain Rohit being ruled out due to hamstring injury, KL Rahul was appointed the captain of the ODI setup as the national side were whitewashed in the series.

In Rohit Sharma's absence, Team India gave a listless performance in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the African nation. With limited-overs captain Rohit being ruled out due to hamstring injury, KL Rahul was appointed the captain of the ODI setup as the national side were whitewashed in the series. Rahul had a disastrous start to his captaincy career in the recently-concluded South Africa tour. With Virat Kohli missing the second and penultimate Test in Johannesburg, due to upper back spasm, Rahul had even captained India in the purest format during the SA tour. However, he failed to take India to victory in the one Test and three ODIs as stand-in captain. ALSO READ | 'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer Speaking to Sportskeeda, former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary has questioned the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee for grooming Rahul and appointing him the stand-in captain in SA. He said, "First of all, I want to ask the selectors, "What did you see in Rahul as captaincy material?" Suddenly, they’re saying that they’re grooming him as a future captain. I don’t understand how you can "groom" a captain. A person is either a born leader or he isn’t." "Captaincy comes naturally, it’s an inbuilt quality. Grooming a captain is possible, but the process will take a long time. It will take a player around 20 to 25 games to learn about decision-making, but even then success will not be guaranteed. See, every international match is important for India," Tiwary added. ALSO READ | Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have Despite India's listless performance in the ODIs under Rahul's captaincy, he is being touted as the future leader. Rahul is already the limited-overs vice-captain and can also take the captaincy role in Tests following Kohli's resignation post the SA series. While Rohit is the frontrunner to become the all-format captain, fitness remains a concern with Hitman and, hence, Rahul has a chance to become the Test captain (or at least the vice-captain).

'What did you see in KL Rahul as captaincy material?' - Manoj Tiwary questions selectors after India-SA ODIs

<p>Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shocker for the entire cricketing fraternity. The decision was announced only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.</p>

<p>While Kohli had already resigned as the T20I captain and was sacked from the top post in ODIs, the 33-year-old was expected to carry on as the Test skipper for few more years. Under him, India dominated at home, won their maiden Test series on Australian soil, earned an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom last year and also played the inaugural WTC final.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, all eyes are now on the national selectors as they have a huge task to name Kohli's successor in whites. While Rohit Sharma is leading the race, already being in charge of the limited-overs side, his fitness remains a concern. Other candidates are KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. Recently, star pacer Mohammed Shami also opined on the captaincy debate and said 'who doesn't want to captain India'.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-cant-harbhajan-names-virat-kohlis-successor-as-test-captain-if-rohit-sharma-declines-offer-448070"><strong>'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<em>India.com</em>&nbsp;on captaincy, Shami said: "I am not thinking too much about captaincy at the moment. I am ready for whatever responsibility is given to me. To be honest, who doesn’t want to captain the India team but it is not the only thing and I am looking to contribute in whichever manner possible for the team.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shastri-opines-on-kohli-rohit-and-dhonis-personalities-reveals-whose-phone-number-he-doesnt-have-448040"><strong>Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have</strong></a></p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if Shami is considered for the top job. Anil Kumble remains the last Indian player to have captained the national side in any format. Kumble led India in Tests for around a year before being succeeded by MS Dhoni. Since then, bowlers have not been preferred to take up the captaincy role.</p>

<p>Will the same happen this time around? Only time will tell...</p>


Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shocker for the entire cricketing fraternity. The decision was announced only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced that he is stepping down as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shocker for the entire cricketing fraternity. The decision was announced only a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus South Africa, in the rainbow nation. While Kohli had already resigned as the T20I captain and was sacked from the top post in ODIs, the 33-year-old was expected to carry on as the Test skipper for few more years. Under him, India dominated at home, won their maiden Test series on Australian soil, earned an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom last year and also played the inaugural WTC final. Thus, all eyes are now on the national selectors as they have a huge task to name Kohli's successor in whites. While Rohit Sharma is leading the race, already being in charge of the limited-overs side, his fitness remains a concern. Other candidates are KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. Recently, star pacer Mohammed Shami also opined on the captaincy debate and said 'who doesn't want to captain India'. ALSO READ | 'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer Speaking to India.com on captaincy, Shami said: "I am not thinking too much about captaincy at the moment. I am ready for whatever responsibility is given to me. To be honest, who doesn’t want to captain the India team but it is not the only thing and I am looking to contribute in whichever manner possible for the team.” ALSO READ | Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have It will be interesting to see if Shami is considered for the top job. Anil Kumble remains the last Indian player to have captained the national side in any format. Kumble led India in Tests for around a year before being succeeded by MS Dhoni. Since then, bowlers have not been preferred to take up the captaincy role. Will the same happen this time around? Only time will tell...

Who doesn't want to captain Team India, says star India player as Test captaincy spot up for grabs

<p>Indian senior men's cricket team is going through a transition phase. While Virat Kohli gave up T20I captaincy after the World Cup, something which he had already revealed prior to the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI skipper; making Rohit Sharma the limited-overs captain altogether.</p>

<p>Kohli was expected to remain the Test captain for quite some time, however, the 33-year-old resigned from the top post in red-ball cricket as well, following India's 2-1 series loss to South Africa in the African nation. Thus, Kohli's decision surprised one and all and left the entire cricketing fraternity shocked. Under him, India achieved sizeable success at home and overseas. Hence, his successor will have to strive hard to match his overall success.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shastri-opines-on-kohli-rohit-and-dhonis-personalities-reveals-whose-phone-number-he-doesnt-have-448040"><strong>Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have</strong></a></p>

<p>Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh opened up on who should succeed Kohli as the Test captain. Citing Kapil Dev's example, Bhajji mentioned Jasprit Bumrah's name if Rohit doesn't agree to captain in all formats. Speaking to&nbsp;<em>Sports Tak, </em>Bhajji said<em>,&nbsp;</em>"According to me, Rohit Sharma should be the captain of all three formats. If he is totally fit then he should captain all three formats. If Rohit feels that he doesn't want to captain all three formats. Then in Test cricket, I am on Jasprit Bumrah's side. He should be given the captaincy because a fast bowler is always thought that they think too big."</p>

<p>"Kapil Dev was also a bowler. Why can't a bowler be captain? I want to know this. Among match-winners in Team India, Jasprit Bumrah is better than them. How many matches Jasprit Bumrah has won us, probably only one bowler has done that. So Jasprit Bumrah for Test cricket captaincy if Rohit Sharma is not available," he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930"><strong>BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</strong></a></p>

<p>The national selectors will have few more discussions before naming the next Test captain for Team India. As of now, there are some contenders in the form of Rohit, Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and R Ashwin. India's next Test series is against Sri Lanka, in end of February.&nbsp;</p>


Indian senior men's cricket team is going through a transition phase. While Virat Kohli gave up T20I captaincy after the World Cup, something which he had already revealed prior to the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI skipper; making Rohit Sharma the limited-overs captain altogether.

Indian senior men's cricket team is going through a transition phase. While Virat Kohli gave up T20I captaincy after the World Cup, something which he had already revealed prior to the showpiece event, he was sacked as the ODI skipper; making Rohit Sharma the limited-overs captain altogether. Kohli was expected to remain the Test captain for quite some time, however, the 33-year-old resigned from the top post in red-ball cricket as well, following India's 2-1 series loss to South Africa in the African nation. Thus, Kohli's decision surprised one and all and left the entire cricketing fraternity shocked. Under him, India achieved sizeable success at home and overseas. Hence, his successor will have to strive hard to match his overall success. ALSO READ | Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh opened up on who should succeed Kohli as the Test captain. Citing Kapil Dev's example, Bhajji mentioned Jasprit Bumrah's name if Rohit doesn't agree to captain in all formats. Speaking to Sports Tak, Bhajji said, "According to me, Rohit Sharma should be the captain of all three formats. If he is totally fit then he should captain all three formats. If Rohit feels that he doesn't want to captain all three formats. Then in Test cricket, I am on Jasprit Bumrah's side. He should be given the captaincy because a fast bowler is always thought that they think too big." "Kapil Dev was also a bowler. Why can't a bowler be captain? I want to know this. Among match-winners in Team India, Jasprit Bumrah is better than them. How many matches Jasprit Bumrah has won us, probably only one bowler has done that. So Jasprit Bumrah for Test cricket captaincy if Rohit Sharma is not available," he added. ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out The national selectors will have few more discussions before naming the next Test captain for Team India. As of now, there are some contenders in the form of Rohit, Bumrah, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and R Ashwin. India's next Test series is against Sri Lanka, in end of February.

'Why can't...' - Harbhajan names Virat Kohli's successor as Test captain if Rohit Sharma declines offer

<p>The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour. Rohit was appointed as the white-ball captain in early December 2021, however, he missed leading the side in the three ODIs in South Africa due to hamstring injury. Nonetheless, he has returned as Rohit will gear up to play his first ODI series since early 2021.</p>

<p>All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, however, remained unfit and couldn't return&nbsp;to the line-up, failing to recovering from his knee injury.&nbsp;Selectors didn't include Hardik Panya as well, in any of the squads, as they aren't fully confident of his ability to deliver as an all-rounder due to fitness concerns. R Ashwin, meanwhile, is not in any squads&nbsp;for being unavailable for selection and the offie is undergoing treatment. Bhuvneshwar Kumar held onto his T20I spot&nbsp;but isn't in the scheme of things for ODIs.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-is-one-of-the-sharpest-cricket-minds-greg-chappell-heaps-praise-on-former-indian-captain-447839"><strong>MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain</strong></a></p>

<p>In addition, there are some big updates with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being rested. Limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul will be available from the second ODI onwards whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel will feature only in the T20Is.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami have been rested from the series.<br />
KL Rahul will be available from 2nd ODI onwards.<br />
R Jadeja is undergoing his final stage of recovery post his knee injury and will not be available for the ODIs and T20Is.<br />
Axar Patel will be available for the T20Is.</p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1486385548063555584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The biggest talking point is the addition of some domestic and IPL star players such as Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi. Hooda, Harshal Patel are&nbsp;named in the ODI and T20I squad, respectively,&nbsp;whereas Bishnoi is part of both ODIs and T20Is. Kuldeep Yadav also makes a return to the ODI setup. Pacers Md Siraj and&nbsp;Avesh Khan&nbsp;have been backed for both the white-balls series whereas Prasidh Krishna is part of the 50-over squad.&nbsp;Nonetheless, there was no room for Himachal's star Rishi Dhawan, who has had a stellar run in the domestic circuit of late.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/good-news-for-team-india-fans-rohit-sharma-clears-fitness-test-ahead-of-west-indies-series-report-447797"><strong>Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>India will lock horns with West Indies in three ODIs and equal number of T20Is in early February,&nbsp;starting on the 6th. The ODIs will be held in Ahmedabad and the T20Is will take place in Kolkata. The BCCI had recently revised the schedule, to not have the ODIs clash with the IPL 2022 mega auction, and also narrowed down the total venues from six to two cities due to Covid-19 crisis.</p>

<p><strong>Squad for WI series:</strong></p>

<p>ODI squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan</p>

<p>T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel</p>


The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour.

The BCCI announced 18-member ODI and T20I squads for Team India's white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies on Wednesday (January 26). As it was reported earlier that Rohit Sharma had passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Bengaluru, Hitman has returned to the squad after missing the entire South Africa tour. Rohit was appointed as the white-ball captain in early December 2021, however, he missed leading the side in the three ODIs in South Africa due to hamstring injury. Nonetheless, he has returned as Rohit will gear up to play his first ODI series since early 2021. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, however, remained unfit and couldn't return to the line-up, failing to recovering from his knee injury. Selectors didn't include Hardik Panya as well, in any of the squads, as they aren't fully confident of his ability to deliver as an all-rounder due to fitness concerns. R Ashwin, meanwhile, is not in any squads for being unavailable for selection and the offie is undergoing treatment. Bhuvneshwar Kumar held onto his T20I spot but isn't in the scheme of things for ODIs. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain In addition, there are some big updates with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being rested. Limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul will be available from the second ODI onwards whereas spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel will feature only in the T20Is. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami have been rested from the series. KL Rahul will be available from 2nd ODI onwards. R Jadeja is undergoing his final stage of recovery post his knee injury and will not be available for the ODIs and T20Is. Axar Patel will be available for the T20Is. — BCCI (@BCCI) January 26, 2022 × The biggest talking point is the addition of some domestic and IPL star players such as Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi. Hooda, Harshal Patel are named in the ODI and T20I squad, respectively, whereas Bishnoi is part of both ODIs and T20Is. Kuldeep Yadav also makes a return to the ODI setup. Pacers Md Siraj and Avesh Khan have been backed for both the white-balls series whereas Prasidh Krishna is part of the 50-over squad. Nonetheless, there was no room for Himachal's star Rishi Dhawan, who has had a stellar run in the domestic circuit of late. ALSO READ | Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report India will lock horns with West Indies in three ODIs and equal number of T20Is in early February, starting on the 6th. The ODIs will be held in Ahmedabad and the T20Is will take place in Kolkata. The BCCI had recently revised the schedule, to not have the ODIs clash with the IPL 2022 mega auction, and also narrowed down the total venues from six to two cities due to Covid-19 crisis. Squad for WI series: ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out

<p>Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri is now enjoying his break after stepping down from the top post in late 2021. Shastri recently interacted with the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar and spilled the beans on the contrasting personalities of India's famed trio -- Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and former captain MS Dhoni.</p>

<p>Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni were an integral part of Team India during Shastri's coaching tenure in the white-ball formats (prior to Dhoni's sabbatical and international retirement). Shastri has, thus, closely worked with the trio and seen them handle things in a different manner on the 22-yard cricket strip.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930"><strong>BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</strong></a></p>

<p>During the conversation, Shastri pointed out how Virat is different from Dhoni and Rohit, who remain a bit similar in personality. In addition, the former Indian all-rounder made heads turn by revealing that he still doesn't have Dhoni's contact number on his cellphone. "Virat is like a beast on the field, once he steps on the field, he just wants to compete and he does not care about anything else. But, completely opposite off the field, absolutely calm and chill. Rohit is laid back pretty much like MS Dhoni. MS is just unreal, one of a kind, whether it's a duck, century, lifting the World Cup, he does not care," Shastri said on Akhtar's Youtube channel.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ravi Shastri giving insights about Dhoni and Rohit <a href="https://t.co/sQ9LAHAL8R">pic.twitter.com/sQ9LAHAL8R</a></p>
— Rishixvi (@Rishixvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rishixvi/status/1486281392891645955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-is-one-of-the-sharpest-cricket-minds-greg-chappell-heaps-praise-on-former-indian-captain-447839"><strong>MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain</strong></a></p>

<p>He added "I have seen many players but there is none like MS Dhoni. Sachin had a fantastic temperament but got angry at times, but MS, nothing at all. Till today, I don't have his phone number, I've not even asked for it. I know he does not carry a phone around with him."</p>

<p>Talking about Kohli and Rohit, the two are gearing up for India's home season, versus West Indies and Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Dhoni will be seen in action in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition in India.&nbsp;</p>


Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri is now enjoying his break after stepping down from the top post in late 2021. Shastri recently interacted with the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar and spilled the beans on the contrasting personalities of India's famed trio -- Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and former captain MS Dhoni.

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri is now enjoying his break after stepping down from the top post in late 2021. Shastri recently interacted with the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar and spilled the beans on the contrasting personalities of India's famed trio -- Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and former captain MS Dhoni. Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni were an integral part of Team India during Shastri's coaching tenure in the white-ball formats (prior to Dhoni's sabbatical and international retirement). Shastri has, thus, closely worked with the trio and seen them handle things in a different manner on the 22-yard cricket strip. ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out During the conversation, Shastri pointed out how Virat is different from Dhoni and Rohit, who remain a bit similar in personality. In addition, the former Indian all-rounder made heads turn by revealing that he still doesn't have Dhoni's contact number on his cellphone. "Virat is like a beast on the field, once he steps on the field, he just wants to compete and he does not care about anything else. But, completely opposite off the field, absolutely calm and chill. Rohit is laid back pretty much like MS Dhoni. MS is just unreal, one of a kind, whether it's a duck, century, lifting the World Cup, he does not care," Shastri said on Akhtar's Youtube channel. Ravi Shastri giving insights about Dhoni and Rohit pic.twitter.com/sQ9LAHAL8R — Rishixvi (@Rishixvi) January 26, 2022 × ALSO READ | MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricket minds: Greg Chappell heaps praise on former Indian captain He added "I have seen many players but there is none like MS Dhoni. Sachin had a fantastic temperament but got angry at times, but MS, nothing at all. Till today, I don't have his phone number, I've not even asked for it. I know he does not carry a phone around with him." Talking about Kohli and Rohit, the two are gearing up for India's home season, versus West Indies and Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Dhoni will be seen in action in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition in India.

Shastri opines on Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni's personalities, reveals whose phone number he doesn't have

<p>India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.</p>

<p>Sources close to the development have already confirmed that members of the All-India Senior Selection Committee are set to conduct a meeting to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies on Wednesday. Prior to it,&nbsp;a&nbsp;fitness test was scheduled for Rohit in the afternoon and Hitman has cleared the test with flying colours. As per the latest developments, the 34-year-old is set to return back to the Indian team and lead the national side in the upcoming three ODIs and equal number of T20Is versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies, starting on February 6 in Ahmedabad.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-central-contracts-test-specialists-cheteshwar-pujara-ajinkya-rahane-likely-face-demotion-report-447737"><strong>BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report</strong></a></p>

<p>According to the PTI, Rohit is also set to be announced the next Test captain. On January 15, Virat Kohli had stepped down as the Indian Test captain, only a day after India lost the three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the rainbow nation. Hence, Rohit is being touted to be the next red-ball captain and take over captaincy duties altogether for Team India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>KL Rahul is expected to remain Rohit's deputy across all formats. On the other hand, the selectors are expected to rest ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah for the West Indies series. The WI series will be followed by Sri Lanka's tour of India, comprising two Tests and three T20Is.</p>


India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.

India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs. Sources close to the development have already confirmed that members of the All-India Senior Selection Committee are set to conduct a meeting to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies on Wednesday. Prior to it, a fitness test was scheduled for Rohit in the afternoon and Hitman has cleared the test with flying colours. As per the latest developments, the 34-year-old is set to return back to the Indian team and lead the national side in the upcoming three ODIs and equal number of T20Is versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies, starting on February 6 in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report According to the PTI, Rohit is also set to be announced the next Test captain. On January 15, Virat Kohli had stepped down as the Indian Test captain, only a day after India lost the three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the rainbow nation. Hence, Rohit is being touted to be the next red-ball captain and take over captaincy duties altogether for Team India. KL Rahul is expected to remain Rohit's deputy across all formats. On the other hand, the selectors are expected to rest ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah for the West Indies series. The WI series will be followed by Sri Lanka's tour of India, comprising two Tests and three T20Is.

Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report

<p>Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format. Pujara's last Test ton came in early 2019 whereas the former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has not been able to score a hundred following his heroics in the MCG Test between India and Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.</p>

<p>Rahane's 112 in the MCG Test remains his last Test century and, thus, the right-hander also lost the vice-captaincy post recently.&nbsp;Both Rahane and Pujara were offered a Grade A contract by BCCI in 2021, with a&nbsp;salary of Rs 5 crore each (INR 50 millions).</p>

<p>As per The&nbsp;<em>Times of India</em>, the two will be demoted to Grade B due to their low returns with the bat. The players in Grade B have a salary of Rs 3 crore each (INR 30 millions). In addition, as per the report, veteran pacers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav are also likely to be dropped in the contract list.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-hints-at-change-of-template-for-team-india-in-white-ball-cricket-post-south-africa-odis-447382"><strong>Rahul Dravid hints at change of template for Team India in white-ball cricket post South Africa ODIs</strong></a></p>

<p>On the other hand, the likes of KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will not be promoted&nbsp;in the central contract list, the report further adds. While the two players feature in all forms of the game for Team India, they were likely to get a promotion to Grade A+ category. However, the report suggests that it may not happen so soon for them.</p>

<p>The Grade A+ category comprises three players, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and speedster Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from the contract list, the Indian team for the forthcoming limited-overs series versus West Indies is also set to be announced very soon.</p>

<p>After the disastrous tour of South Africa, India will now gear up to host West Indies and Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition.</p>


Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format.

Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format. Pujara's last Test ton came in early 2019 whereas the former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has not been able to score a hundred following his heroics in the MCG Test between India and Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahane's 112 in the MCG Test remains his last Test century and, thus, the right-hander also lost the vice-captaincy post recently. Both Rahane and Pujara were offered a Grade A contract by BCCI in 2021, with a salary of Rs 5 crore each (INR 50 millions). As per The Times of India, the two will be demoted to Grade B due to their low returns with the bat. The players in Grade B have a salary of Rs 3 crore each (INR 30 millions). In addition, as per the report, veteran pacers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav are also likely to be dropped in the contract list. ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid hints at change of template for Team India in white-ball cricket post South Africa ODIs On the other hand, the likes of KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will not be promoted in the central contract list, the report further adds. While the two players feature in all forms of the game for Team India, they were likely to get a promotion to Grade A+ category. However, the report suggests that it may not happen so soon for them. The Grade A+ category comprises three players, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and speedster Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from the contract list, the Indian team for the forthcoming limited-overs series versus West Indies is also set to be announced very soon. After the disastrous tour of South Africa, India will now gear up to host West Indies and Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition.

BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report

<p>India has dived into celebrations as the rich and diverse country&nbsp;is celebrating its 73rd&nbsp;Republic Day, a day celebrated to honour the prestigious Constitution of India which came into force&nbsp;in the year 1950. Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and plenty of important personalities have, hence, been busy involved in the Republic Day parade in the national capital, New Delhi on Wednesday.</p>

<p>On the occasion, PM Narendra Modi tweeted and wrote, "Wishing you all a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">आप सभी को गणतंत्र दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। जय हिंद!<br />
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Wishing you all a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1486157370711756803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>President of India Ram Nath Kovind also addressed the nation on the eve of the R-Day celebrations nationwide. He told the countrymen in his speech, "My heartiest greetings to all of you, in India and abroad, on the eve of the 73<sup>rd&nbsp;</sup>Republic Day! It is an occasion to celebrate what is common to us all, our Indian-ness. It was on this day in 1950 that this sacred essence of us all assumed a formal shape. That day, India was established as the largest democratic republic and ‘we the people’ put into effect a Constitution that is an inspired document of our collective vision. The diversity and vibrancy of our democracy is appreciated world-wide. It is this spirit of unity and of being one nation which is celebrated&nbsp;every year&nbsp;as Republic Day. This year’s celebrations may be muted due to the pandemic, but the spirit is as strong as ever."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/padma-shri-for-neeraj-chopra-and-5-others-devendra-jhajharia-to-be-honoured-with-padma-bhushan-447533"><strong>Padma Shri for Neeraj Chopra and 5 others, Devendra Jhajharia to be honoured with Padma Bhushan</strong></a></p>

<p>Wishes have been pouring in from the sports fraternity as well. The likes of Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Neeraj Chopra, Sania Mirza and many others have also taken to their respective Twitter handles to lead wishes on the landmark day for the nation. <strong>Here are some wishes from the sporting icons of the country:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Republic Day to all. Proud to be an Indian. 🇮🇳</p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1486203310092976131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, more prosperous than our own Bharat.<br />
Jai Hind 🙏🏼<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/vdgzIRafZJ">pic.twitter.com/vdgzIRafZJ</a></p>
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1486210872250798082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sharing something close to my heart - The “𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺”.<br />
<br />
Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a> to all my fellow Indians! 🇮🇳<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SportPlayingNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SportPlayingNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/RmeoLdydAY">pic.twitter.com/RmeoLdydAY</a></p>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1486214937412517888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">After laying down countless lives, we got the rights to protect each life! Cherish it! Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a>🇮🇳</p>
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1486196375125897220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy Republic Day 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/M1J8ZqSqGa">pic.twitter.com/M1J8ZqSqGa</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/1486201720405622784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wish u all a very Happy Republic Day 🙏🙏.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyRepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HappyRepublicDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jaihind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jaihind</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> 🇮🇳🇮🇳</p>
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSaina/status/1486154248346046464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">मेरे सभी देशवासियों को <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B8?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#गणतंत्रदिवस</a> के अवसर पर हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं । 🇮🇳<br />
<br />
Wishing all of you a very Happy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/MQOsIl17Wy">pic.twitter.com/MQOsIl17Wy</a></p>
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Neeraj_chopra1/status/1486204334086168577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDayIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDayIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/i2laY3s7pK">pic.twitter.com/i2laY3s7pK</a></p>
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) <a href="https://twitter.com/boxervijender/status/1486200328756207616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Greetings to every Indian on the occasion of our 73rd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RepublicDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RepublicDay</a>. Our diversity is our beauty and I wish everyone peace, good health and happiness. Jai Hind! <a href="https://t.co/6pedL3jnwc">pic.twitter.com/6pedL3jnwc</a></p>
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) <a href="https://twitter.com/VVSLaxman281/status/1486172951171178501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-olympic-hero-neeraj-chopra-to-be-awarded-with-param-vashistha-seva-medal-on-republic-day-447451"><strong>India's Olympic hero Neeraj Chopra to be awarded with Param Vashistha Seva Medal on Republic Day</strong></a></p>

<p>For the unversed, this year's celebrations are all the more special as it falls in the 75th year of Independence. Thus the celebrations are marked as the 'Azaadi ka Mahotsav' across the country. Moreover, the yearly R-Day celebrations will now last from January 23-30. January 23 marks the birth anniversary of one of the great Indian freedom fighters, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whereas 30th of January is observed as the Martyrs' Day.</p>


India has dived into celebrations as the rich and diverse country is celebrating its 73rd Republic Day, a day celebrated to honour the prestigious Constitution of India which came into force in the year 1950.

India has dived into celebrations as the rich and diverse country is celebrating its 73rd Republic Day, a day celebrated to honour the prestigious Constitution of India which came into force in the year 1950. Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and plenty of important personalities have, hence, been busy involved in the Republic Day parade in the national capital, New Delhi on Wednesday. On the occasion, PM Narendra Modi tweeted and wrote, "Wishing you all a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind!" आप सभी को गणतंत्र दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। जय हिंद! Wishing you all a happy Republic Day. Jai Hind! #RepublicDay — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2022 × President of India Ram Nath Kovind also addressed the nation on the eve of the R-Day celebrations nationwide. He told the countrymen in his speech, "My heartiest greetings to all of you, in India and abroad, on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day! It is an occasion to celebrate what is common to us all, our Indian-ness. It was on this day in 1950 that this sacred essence of us all assumed a formal shape. That day, India was established as the largest democratic republic and ‘we the people’ put into effect a Constitution that is an inspired document of our collective vision. The diversity and vibrancy of our democracy is appreciated world-wide. It is this spirit of unity and of being one nation which is celebrated every year as Republic Day. This year’s celebrations may be muted due to the pandemic, but the spirit is as strong as ever." ALSO READ | Padma Shri for Neeraj Chopra and 5 others, Devendra Jhajharia to be honoured with Padma Bhushan Wishes have been pouring in from the sports fraternity as well. The likes of Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Neeraj Chopra, Sania Mirza and many others have also taken to their respective Twitter handles to lead wishes on the landmark day for the nation. Here are some wishes from the sporting icons of the country: Happy Republic Day to all. Proud to be an Indian. 🇮🇳 — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 26, 2022 × May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, more prosperous than our own Bharat. Jai Hind 🙏🏼#RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/vdgzIRafZJ — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 26, 2022 × Sharing something close to my heart - The “𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺”. Happy #RepublicDay to all my fellow Indians! 🇮🇳#SportPlayingNation pic.twitter.com/RmeoLdydAY — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 26, 2022 × After laying down countless lives, we got the rights to protect each life! Cherish it! Happy #RepublicDay🇮🇳 — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) January 26, 2022 × Happy Republic Day 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/M1J8ZqSqGa — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) January 26, 2022 × Wish u all a very Happy Republic Day 🙏🙏.. #HappyRepublicDay #jaihind #India 🇮🇳🇮🇳 — Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) January 26, 2022 × मेरे सभी देशवासियों को #गणतंत्रदिवस के अवसर पर हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं । 🇮🇳 Wishing all of you a very Happy #RepublicDay pic.twitter.com/MQOsIl17Wy — Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) January 26, 2022 × #RepublicDayIndia pic.twitter.com/i2laY3s7pK — Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) January 26, 2022 × Greetings to every Indian on the occasion of our 73rd #RepublicDay. Our diversity is our beauty and I wish everyone peace, good health and happiness. Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/6pedL3jnwc — VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 26, 2022 × ALSO READ | India's Olympic hero Neeraj Chopra to be awarded with Param Vashistha Seva Medal on Republic Day For the unversed, this year's celebrations are all the more special as it falls in the 75th year of Independence. Thus the celebrations are marked as the 'Azaadi ka Mahotsav' across the country. Moreover, the yearly R-Day celebrations will now last from January 23-30. January 23 marks the birth anniversary of one of the great Indian freedom fighters, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whereas 30th of January is observed as the Martyrs' Day.

Virat Kohli, Neeraj Chopra lead wishes from sports fraternity as India celebrates 73rd Republic Day

<p>Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket. Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last as the captain in the shortest format. He was replaced by Rohit Sharma before Hitman was also named the ODI captain following Kohli's sacking in early December, 2021.</p>

<p>The BCCI selectors sacked Kohli as the ODI captain, with a view to have only one white-ball skipper going forward. Following that, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly stated that he had requested Kohli to not quit as T20I captain, however, the latter denied all such claims during his explosive presser before India's tour of South Africa, on December 15.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli also stated that he had no prior communication from the national selectors before being sacked as the ODI captain. While the India-SA Tests ended amid tension between Kohli and the board-national selectors, the 33-year-old went onto resign as the Test captain as well following the red-ball series in the rainbow nation, on January 15.</p>

<p>Thus, the tension between Kohli and the BCCI is evident from the outside. Kapil Dev, India's first World Cup-winning captain, has now joined the bandwagon and reacted to the whole controversy. He feels both sides should talk it out and sort things out, keeping the country and team in mind.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/playing-against-india-is-md-rizwan-recalls-pakistans-historic-triumph-over-men-in-blue-in-2021-t20wc-447525"><strong>'Playing against India is...': Md Rizwan recalls Pakistan's historic triumph over Men in Blue in 2021 T20WC</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<em>The Week</em>&nbsp;magazine, Kapil pointed out, "They should have sorted out the issues between them. Pick up the phone, talk to each other, put the country and team before yourself. In the beginning, I also got everything I wanted. But sometimes, you may not get it. That should not mean that you leave the captaincy. If he has left it because of that, then I do not know what to say. He is a fabulous player; [I want to] watch him play so much more and score runs, especially in Test cricket.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-vs-bcci-is-there-any-real-winner-in-this-tussle-446528">Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle?</a></strong></p>

<p>Rahul Dravid-led India recently ended their dismal tour of SA. They lost the Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. With many blaming the Kohli vs BCCI row for India's downfall in the African nation, the Indian cricket loyalists hope that the matter is sorted out at the earliest to prevent the team's downfall going forward.</p>


Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket.

Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket. Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last as the captain in the shortest format. He was replaced by Rohit Sharma before Hitman was also named the ODI captain following Kohli's sacking in early December, 2021. The BCCI selectors sacked Kohli as the ODI captain, with a view to have only one white-ball skipper going forward. Following that, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly stated that he had requested Kohli to not quit as T20I captain, however, the latter denied all such claims during his explosive presser before India's tour of South Africa, on December 15. Kohli also stated that he had no prior communication from the national selectors before being sacked as the ODI captain. While the India-SA Tests ended amid tension between Kohli and the board-national selectors, the 33-year-old went onto resign as the Test captain as well following the red-ball series in the rainbow nation, on January 15. Thus, the tension between Kohli and the BCCI is evident from the outside. Kapil Dev, India's first World Cup-winning captain, has now joined the bandwagon and reacted to the whole controversy. He feels both sides should talk it out and sort things out, keeping the country and team in mind. ALSO READ | 'Playing against India is...': Md Rizwan recalls Pakistan's historic triumph over Men in Blue in 2021 T20WC Speaking to The Week magazine, Kapil pointed out, "They should have sorted out the issues between them. Pick up the phone, talk to each other, put the country and team before yourself. In the beginning, I also got everything I wanted. But sometimes, you may not get it. That should not mean that you leave the captaincy. If he has left it because of that, then I do not know what to say. He is a fabulous player; [I want to] watch him play so much more and score runs, especially in Test cricket. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle? Rahul Dravid-led India recently ended their dismal tour of SA. They lost the Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. With many blaming the Kohli vs BCCI row for India's downfall in the African nation, the Indian cricket loyalists hope that the matter is sorted out at the earliest to prevent the team's downfall going forward.

Pick up the phone and talk: Kapil Dev opines on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row, says 'put country, team before self'

<p>Babar Azam-led Pakistan were very impressive in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Being unbeaten enroute the semi-finals, the Men in Green couldn't enter the final after losing their semi-final fixture to eventual winners Aaron Finch-led Australia in Dubai.</p>

<p>There were many heroes for Pakistan throughout their campaign, such as Babar, Md Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, etc. Recently, wicketkeeper-batter Rizwan recalled Pakistan's stunning ten-wicket win over Virat Kohli's Team India in the T20 WC.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-are-you-doing-rizwan-recalls-hilarious-chat-with-kohli-during-high-voltage-indo-pak-t20-wc-tie-445969">'What are you doing' - Rizwan recalls hilarious chat with Kohli during high-voltage Indo-Pak T20 WC tie</a></strong></p>

<p>"Honestly, it felt like a normal match, like any other game. We felt the hype of the World Cup after getting there (in UAE). Before the match, I had an interview with Indian media and they asked if I was nervous. I told them that I don't feel any different as of now but if and when I do, I will let you know (chuckles)," Rizwan told Cricket Pakistan in an interview.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Pakistan returned home following their impressive run in the T20 WC, Rizwan revealed that it was then when the team realised how much their win over India meant to the countrymen. "But the response and love we received from the fans and the country cannot be explained in words. When we got home from the Bangladesh tour after the World Cup, the reception made me realise that playing against India is not ordinary because there's much more at stake than playing against any other opposition,” Rizwan added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pak-better-than-india-akhtar-makes-bold-claim-predicts-men-in-green-to-win-2022-t20-wc-face-off-447142"><strong>PAK better than India: Akhtar makes bold claim, predicts Men in Green to win 2022 T20 WC face-off</strong></a></p>

<p>Recently, ICC revealed the full schedule for the 2022 T20 WC, to be held later this year in Australia. India and Pakistan are once again placed in the same group, i.e. Pool 2, and will lock horns with each other on October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, MCG.</p>


Babar Azam-led Pakistan were very impressive in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Being unbeaten enroute the semi-finals, the Men in Green couldn't enter the final after losing their semi-final fixture to eventual winners Aaron Finch-led Australia in Dubai.

Babar Azam-led Pakistan were very impressive in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Being unbeaten enroute the semi-finals, the Men in Green couldn't enter the final after losing their semi-final fixture to eventual winners Aaron Finch-led Australia in Dubai. There were many heroes for Pakistan throughout their campaign, such as Babar, Md Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, etc. Recently, wicketkeeper-batter Rizwan recalled Pakistan's stunning ten-wicket win over Virat Kohli's Team India in the T20 WC. ALSO READ | 'What are you doing' - Rizwan recalls hilarious chat with Kohli during high-voltage Indo-Pak T20 WC tie "Honestly, it felt like a normal match, like any other game. We felt the hype of the World Cup after getting there (in UAE). Before the match, I had an interview with Indian media and they asked if I was nervous. I told them that I don't feel any different as of now but if and when I do, I will let you know (chuckles)," Rizwan told Cricket Pakistan in an interview. After Pakistan returned home following their impressive run in the T20 WC, Rizwan revealed that it was then when the team realised how much their win over India meant to the countrymen. "But the response and love we received from the fans and the country cannot be explained in words. When we got home from the Bangladesh tour after the World Cup, the reception made me realise that playing against India is not ordinary because there's much more at stake than playing against any other opposition,” Rizwan added. ALSO READ | PAK better than India: Akhtar makes bold claim, predicts Men in Green to win 2022 T20 WC face-off Recently, ICC revealed the full schedule for the 2022 T20 WC, to be held later this year in Australia. India and Pakistan are once again placed in the same group, i.e. Pool 2, and will lock horns with each other on October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, MCG.

'Playing against India is...': Md Rizwan recalls Pakistan's historic triumph over Men in Blue in 2021 T20WC

<p>Virat Kohli will not be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) having stepped down from captaincy after the conclusion of IPL 2021 in the UAE last year. Kohli had led RCB to the playoffs of IPL 2021 in what was his final season as the captain of the franchise.</p>

<p>RCB will be looking for a captaincy candidate when they head into the upcoming IPL mega auction ahead of the 2022 season. While there are several top players who are set to go under the hammer, star India batter Shreyas Iyer is reportedly on the radar of several franchises as a potential captaincy candidate.</p>

<p>Iyer was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last year and parted ways with the franchise after being replaced by Rishabh Pant as captain. Iyer had led Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in the 2020 season and has already proven his leadership qualities in the league.</p>

<p>While the two new teams - Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad IPL franchise have already roped in KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya as their captains respectively, there are a number of teams who will be on the lookout for potential captaincy candidates.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cheaper-hotels-minimum-air-travel-south-africa-makes-lucrative-offer-to-bcci-in-a-bid-to-host-ipl-2022-447399">Cheaper hotels, minimum air-travel: South Africa makes lucrative offer to BCCI in a bid to host IPL 2022</a><br />
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<p>Iyer is reportedly on RCB's radar for the captaincy role after Kohli's decision to quit. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes RCB should not keep the Indian star batter as their number one option. While sharing his views on the RCB captaincy debate, Chopra suggested the franchise can rope in West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder as the captain of the team.</p>

<p>Chopra also suggested the idea of Glenn Maxwell, who has been retained by the franchise, as a potential captaincy candidate for IPL 2022. While Maxwell is already part of the RCB squad, Holder played for Sunrisers Hyderabad last year and will be entering the IPL mega auction this time around.</p>

<p>"Shreyas Iyer is an option. Bangalore can think about him but personally, he is not my No. 1 pick for Bangalore because the ground is not like that. He is a top-order batter and it will not work out if you send him below No. 4. You might not have a place till No. 4 as you have Kohli and Maxwell, and you are trying to bat Maxwell up the order," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"They can either think about Maxwell or let me just throw a name here - Jason Holder. He is an unassuming character, does not impose himself, he is absolutely perfect for a franchise like RCB. He will play all the matches, he knows how to run a team and he will never take the center stage," Chopra added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shreyas-iyer-to-david-warner-full-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2cr-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-446663">Iyer to Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction</a></p>

<p>RCB have managed to qualify for the playoffs in the last two seasons but are yet to win their maiden IPL trophy. Kohli was leading the side from 2013 but failed to inspire them to glory even once in the league. RCB will be hoping to spark a turnaround and build a strong team to win the tournament this year.</p>

<p>Holder has never led a team in the Indian Premier League but has been great as captainc with the West Indies national team. The all-rounder has played 26 IPL matches so far, amassing 189 runs and picking up 35 wickets.</p>

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Virat Kohli will not be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) having stepped down from captaincy after the conclusion of IPL 2021 in the UAE last year.

Virat Kohli will not be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) having stepped down from captaincy after the conclusion of IPL 2021 in the UAE last year. Kohli had led RCB to the playoffs of IPL 2021 in what was his final season as the captain of the franchise. RCB will be looking for a captaincy candidate when they head into the upcoming IPL mega auction ahead of the 2022 season. While there are several top players who are set to go under the hammer, star India batter Shreyas Iyer is reportedly on the radar of several franchises as a potential captaincy candidate. Iyer was part of the Delhi Capitals squad last year and parted ways with the franchise after being replaced by Rishabh Pant as captain. Iyer had led Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL final in the 2020 season and has already proven his leadership qualities in the league. While the two new teams - Lucknow Super Giants and the Ahmedabad IPL franchise have already roped in KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya as their captains respectively, there are a number of teams who will be on the lookout for potential captaincy candidates. Also Read: Cheaper hotels, minimum air-travel: South Africa makes lucrative offer to BCCI in a bid to host IPL 2022 Iyer is reportedly on RCB's radar for the captaincy role after Kohli's decision to quit. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes RCB should not keep the Indian star batter as their number one option. While sharing his views on the RCB captaincy debate, Chopra suggested the franchise can rope in West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder as the captain of the team. Chopra also suggested the idea of Glenn Maxwell, who has been retained by the franchise, as a potential captaincy candidate for IPL 2022. While Maxwell is already part of the RCB squad, Holder played for Sunrisers Hyderabad last year and will be entering the IPL mega auction this time around. "Shreyas Iyer is an option. Bangalore can think about him but personally, he is not my No. 1 pick for Bangalore because the ground is not like that. He is a top-order batter and it will not work out if you send him below No. 4. You might not have a place till No. 4 as you have Kohli and Maxwell, and you are trying to bat Maxwell up the order," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. "They can either think about Maxwell or let me just throw a name here - Jason Holder. He is an unassuming character, does not impose himself, he is absolutely perfect for a franchise like RCB. He will play all the matches, he knows how to run a team and he will never take the center stage," Chopra added. Also Read: Iyer to Warner: Full list of players with highest base price of Rs 2cr ahead of IPL mega auction RCB have managed to qualify for the playoffs in the last two seasons but are yet to win their maiden IPL trophy. Kohli was leading the side from 2013 but failed to inspire them to glory even once in the league. RCB will be hoping to spark a turnaround and build a strong team to win the tournament this year. Holder has never led a team in the Indian Premier League but has been great as captainc with the West Indies national team. The all-rounder has played 26 IPL matches so far, amassing 189 runs and picking up 35 wickets.

Not Shreyas Iyer! Aakash Chopra names West Indies all-rounder who should replace Virat Kohli as RCB captain

<p>Team India were thrashed in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. While the three Tests were extremely competitive, which Virat Kohli's India lost 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Men in Blue were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.</p>

<p>Rahul &amp; Co. failed to chase down totals on two occasions whereas they also couldn't defend a competitive score in the second and penultimate ODI. With the series loss, India have now lost all their last bilateral ODI series in SENA countries (losing to England 2-1 in mid-2018, 2-1 to Australia in late 2020 and being whitewashed versus New Zealand and the Proteas). Thus, head coach Rahul Dravid opened up on the drubbing versus Bavuma &amp; Co. and hinted at a change of template on cards for Rohit Sharma-led India in the white-ball formats.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-a-rift-in-indian-team-virat-kohli-didnt-quit-test-captaincy-because-he-wanted-to-shoaib-akhtar-447351"><strong>There is a rift in Indian team, Virat Kohli didn't quit Test captaincy because he wanted to: Shoaib Akhtar</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking in the post-match press conference Dravid opined, "We certainly could do better in the middle overs. We understand the template, and a large part of that template is dependent on the balance of your squad. Some of the guys who really help us balance out the squad and give us those all-round options at No. 6, 7 and 8 were not available for the selection. Hopefully, when they come back, it will give us a little more depth, which will allow us to play in a slightly different style."</p>

<p>"Having said that, even South Africa who batted first on two occasions scored 290 [296] and 280 [287]. If I think back to the 30th over [of the second innings] in both these games, we should have actually chased them down. We didn't because we played some poor shots and we didn't play smart cricket at critical situations," he further added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/time-we-get-better-and-transform-our-white-ball-cricket-says-rahul-post-indias-listless-performance-vs-sa-447258"><strong>Time we get better and transform our white-ball cricket, says Rahul post India's listless performance vs SA</strong></a></p>

<p>For the unversed, the likes of limited-overs captain Rohit, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya weren't part of the ODIs versus South Africa. It will be interesting to see the kind of changes in playing style and team combination India goes ahead with in the upcoming white-ball assignments.</p>

<p>Rohit &amp; Co. will now gear up for the limited-overs series versus West Indies at home. They will then host Sri Lanka in three T20Is before the action shifts to the IPL 2022 edition.</p>


Team India were thrashed in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. While the three Tests were extremely competitive, which Virat Kohli's India lost 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Men in Blue were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.

Team India were thrashed in the three-match ODI series versus Temba Bavuma-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. While the three Tests were extremely competitive, which Virat Kohli's India lost 2-1, the KL Rahul-led Men in Blue were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs. Rahul & Co. failed to chase down totals on two occasions whereas they also couldn't defend a competitive score in the second and penultimate ODI. With the series loss, India have now lost all their last bilateral ODI series in SENA countries (losing to England 2-1 in mid-2018, 2-1 to Australia in late 2020 and being whitewashed versus New Zealand and the Proteas). Thus, head coach Rahul Dravid opened up on the drubbing versus Bavuma & Co. and hinted at a change of template on cards for Rohit Sharma-led India in the white-ball formats. ALSO READ | There is a rift in Indian team, Virat Kohli didn't quit Test captaincy because he wanted to: Shoaib Akhtar Speaking in the post-match press conference Dravid opined, "We certainly could do better in the middle overs. We understand the template, and a large part of that template is dependent on the balance of your squad. Some of the guys who really help us balance out the squad and give us those all-round options at No. 6, 7 and 8 were not available for the selection. Hopefully, when they come back, it will give us a little more depth, which will allow us to play in a slightly different style." "Having said that, even South Africa who batted first on two occasions scored 290 [296] and 280 [287]. If I think back to the 30th over [of the second innings] in both these games, we should have actually chased them down. We didn't because we played some poor shots and we didn't play smart cricket at critical situations," he further added. ALSO READ | Time we get better and transform our white-ball cricket, says Rahul post India's listless performance vs SA For the unversed, the likes of limited-overs captain Rohit, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya weren't part of the ODIs versus South Africa. It will be interesting to see the kind of changes in playing style and team combination India goes ahead with in the upcoming white-ball assignments. Rohit & Co. will now gear up for the limited-overs series versus West Indies at home. They will then host Sri Lanka in three T20Is before the action shifts to the IPL 2022 edition.

Rahul Dravid hints at change of template for Team India in white-ball cricket post South Africa ODIs

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another controversial claim stating that there is possibly a rift in the current Indian team. In the past few months, Indian cricket has witnessed massive changes in the leadership group with Virat Kohli stepping down as captain from all three formats of the game. While Rohit Sharma is now in charge of the white-ball team, the selectors are yet to announce India's next Test captain.</p>

<p>Kohli had announced that he will step down as India's T20I captain after the T20 World Cup 2021 last year before being replaced by Rohit as the ODI captain as well. The move didn't go down well for Indian cricket as Kohli had a public fallout with the BCCI in December last year. The former captain revealed he was informed about the decision of his sacking as ODI captain only ninety minutes before it was made official.</p>

<p>Kohli shockingly announced his resignation from Test captaincy earlier this month, a day after India's 2-1 loss in the Test series against South Africa. While it is no secret that the relations between Kohli and the Indian cricket board have turned sour in the last few months, there have also been speculations of a possible rift in the Indian team.</p>

<p>Former Pakistan pacer Akhtar, who follows Indian cricket closely, believes there is a rift in the Indian team at present and that Kohli's decision to Test captaincy was not his own, as projected.</p>

<p>"I see a rift in this team. Important to see how the team will be handled. I don't think Kohli quit because he wanted to, such a situation was created that he had to leave captaincy. There are a lot of reasons behind Kohli's decision to leave Test captaincy, that I cannot say because of confidentiality," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shoaib-akhtar-makes-bizarre-statement-about-virat-kohli-would-not-have-married-if-i-were-in-his-place-447138">Shoaib Akhtar makes bizarre statement about Virat Kohli: Would not have married if I were in his place</a></p>

<p>Akhtar also shared his views on India's 'humiliating' 3-0 defeat in the recently-concluded ODI series against South Africa. India suffered three back-to-back defeats in the series under KL Rahul's captaincy as permanent skipper Rohit Sharma had to sit out due to a hamstring injury.</p>

<p>Akhtar wants the Indian team to regroup well and keep the unrest aside to focus on the challenges ahead. The former Pakistan pacer backed India to bounce back strongly from their debacle against the Proteas.</p>

<p>"The recent performances have left India humiliating. I don't think the Indian team should be losing to such a South Africa team, that too in a demoralizing manner," said Akhtar.</p>

<p>"Moving ahead from this point, the BCCI, Management, captain and the rest of the players will have to regroup. The issues of unrest will have to be put to an end by the management. I didn't see a combined effort by the team in South Africa," he added.</p>

<p>India will next take on West Indies in an ODI series at home starting from next month.<br />
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Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another controversial claim stating that there is possibly a rift in the current Indian team. In the past few months, Indian cricket has witnessed massive changes in the leadership group with Virat Kohli stepping down as captain from all three formats of the game.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made yet another controversial claim stating that there is possibly a rift in the current Indian team. In the past few months, Indian cricket has witnessed massive changes in the leadership group with Virat Kohli stepping down as captain from all three formats of the game. While Rohit Sharma is now in charge of the white-ball team, the selectors are yet to announce India's next Test captain. Kohli had announced that he will step down as India's T20I captain after the T20 World Cup 2021 last year before being replaced by Rohit as the ODI captain as well. The move didn't go down well for Indian cricket as Kohli had a public fallout with the BCCI in December last year. The former captain revealed he was informed about the decision of his sacking as ODI captain only ninety minutes before it was made official. Kohli shockingly announced his resignation from Test captaincy earlier this month, a day after India's 2-1 loss in the Test series against South Africa. While it is no secret that the relations between Kohli and the Indian cricket board have turned sour in the last few months, there have also been speculations of a possible rift in the Indian team. Former Pakistan pacer Akhtar, who follows Indian cricket closely, believes there is a rift in the Indian team at present and that Kohli's decision to Test captaincy was not his own, as projected. "I see a rift in this team. Important to see how the team will be handled. I don't think Kohli quit because he wanted to, such a situation was created that he had to leave captaincy. There are a lot of reasons behind Kohli's decision to leave Test captaincy, that I cannot say because of confidentiality," Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Shoaib Akhtar makes bizarre statement about Virat Kohli: Would not have married if I were in his place Akhtar also shared his views on India's 'humiliating' 3-0 defeat in the recently-concluded ODI series against South Africa. India suffered three back-to-back defeats in the series under KL Rahul's captaincy as permanent skipper Rohit Sharma had to sit out due to a hamstring injury. Akhtar wants the Indian team to regroup well and keep the unrest aside to focus on the challenges ahead. The former Pakistan pacer backed India to bounce back strongly from their debacle against the Proteas. "The recent performances have left India humiliating. I don't think the Indian team should be losing to such a South Africa team, that too in a demoralizing manner," said Akhtar. "Moving ahead from this point, the BCCI, Management, captain and the rest of the players will have to regroup. The issues of unrest will have to be put to an end by the management. I didn't see a combined effort by the team in South Africa," he added. India will next take on West Indies in an ODI series at home starting from next month.

There is a rift in Indian team, Virat Kohli didn't quit Test captaincy because he wanted to: Shoaib Akhtar

<p>Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli welcomed their little bundle of joy, Vamika, in January last year. The two have been sharing updates and photos of their daughter with millions of fans and followers on their Instagram handles, but have refrained from revealing her face until now.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
On Sunday, during a&nbsp;cricket match in South Africa, Cape Town, a&nbsp;camera person panned the camera towards Anushka and Vamika celebrating Virat's on-field performance, giving a clear view of Vamika's face for the first time. Ever since then, the photos of Vamika are all over the internet.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Now, the star couple, who have been requesting media and fans to keep their daughter away from the spotlight, has issued a statement:&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="statement" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45a688d7-3179-404e-946b-cfadbd4dab19" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy%2030th%20birthday%20-%202022-01-24T114112.521.jpg" /></p>

<p>"Hi guys! We realise that or daughters images were captured at the stadium yesterday and widely shared thereafter. We want to inform everyone that we were caught off guard and didn't know that the camera was on us. Our stance and request on the matter stays the same. We would really appreciate if Vamika's images are not clicked/published for reasons we have explained earlier. Thank you! (sic)."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Some fans could not keep calm as they finally got a glimpse of their daughter. However, other internet users&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/respect-their-privacy-netizens-react-as-video-of-virat-kohli-anushka-sharmas-daughter-goes-viral-446979">lashed out and condemned&nbsp;</a>circulation of Vamika's photo, demanding that the paparazzi&nbsp;delete it. Many fans even asked to report the tweets and tagged official accounts to delete them.</p>

<p>In December last year, Anushka took to her Instagram to thank the paparazzi for not circulating and posting Vamika's photos.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
''We are deeply thankful to the Indian paparazzi and most of the media fraternity for not publishing pictures/videos of Vamika. As parents, our request to the few who carried the images/video will be to support us going forward,” wrote the actor on behalf of herself and her cricketer-husband.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
We seek privacy for our child and would like to do our best to give her a chance to live her life freely away from media and social media. As she is older, we cannot restrict her movement and hence your support is needed so kindly practice restraint in the matter,” she added. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
“A special thank you to fan clubs and people of the internet for going out of your way to not post images. It was kind and highly mature of you,” she concluded the statement.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The couple welcomed their first child together in January 2021. At the time, the star couple had issued a statement requesting paparazzi to respect their privacy. "Hi, Thank you for all the love that you have given us for all these years. We are happy to celebrate this momentous occasion with you. As parents, we have a simple request to make to you. We want to protect the privacy of our child and we need your help and support."</p>

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<p>In an interview with Vogue in 2020, Anushka also said that she didn't want to&nbsp;raise her child in the public eye, “I think it’s a decision your child should be able to take. No kid should be made to be more special than the other,” she said earlier.&nbsp;</p>


Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli welcomed their little bundle of joy, Vamika, in January last year. The two have been sharing updates and photos of their daughter with millions of fans and followers on their Instagram handles, but have refrained from revealing her face until now.

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli welcomed their little bundle of joy, Vamika, in January last year. The two have been sharing updates and photos of their daughter with millions of fans and followers on their Instagram handles, but have refrained from revealing her face until now. On Sunday, during a cricket match in South Africa, Cape Town, a camera person panned the camera towards Anushka and Vamika celebrating Virat's on-field performance, giving a clear view of Vamika's face for the first time. Ever since then, the photos of Vamika are all over the internet. Now, the star couple, who have been requesting media and fans to keep their daughter away from the spotlight, has issued a statement: "Hi guys! We realise that or daughters images were captured at the stadium yesterday and widely shared thereafter. We want to inform everyone that we were caught off guard and didn't know that the camera was on us. Our stance and request on the matter stays the same. We would really appreciate if Vamika's images are not clicked/published for reasons we have explained earlier. Thank you! (sic)." Some fans could not keep calm as they finally got a glimpse of their daughter. However, other internet users lashed out and condemned circulation of Vamika's photo, demanding that the paparazzi delete it. Many fans even asked to report the tweets and tagged official accounts to delete them. In December last year, Anushka took to her Instagram to thank the paparazzi for not circulating and posting Vamika's photos. ''We are deeply thankful to the Indian paparazzi and most of the media fraternity for not publishing pictures/videos of Vamika. As parents, our request to the few who carried the images/video will be to support us going forward,” wrote the actor on behalf of herself and her cricketer-husband. We seek privacy for our child and would like to do our best to give her a chance to live her life freely away from media and social media. As she is older, we cannot restrict her movement and hence your support is needed so kindly practice restraint in the matter,” she added. “A special thank you to fan clubs and people of the internet for going out of your way to not post images. It was kind and highly mature of you,” she concluded the statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) × The couple welcomed their first child together in January 2021. At the time, the star couple had issued a statement requesting paparazzi to respect their privacy. "Hi, Thank you for all the love that you have given us for all these years. We are happy to celebrate this momentous occasion with you. As parents, we have a simple request to make to you. We want to protect the privacy of our child and we need your help and support." View this post on Instagram A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) × In an interview with Vogue in 2020, Anushka also said that she didn't want to raise her child in the public eye, “I think it’s a decision your child should be able to take. No kid should be made to be more special than the other,” she said earlier.

Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli issue statement post daughter Vamika's stadium pics go viral

<p>Virat Kohli dedicated his half-century to daughter Vamika with a 'cradle' celebration during the third and final ODI between India and South Africa at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday. Kohli reached his half-century off 63 deliveries during India's run-chase against the Proteas and dedicated it to his daughter Vamika.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-anushka-sharma-virat-kohli-release-statement-after-daughter-vamikas-stadium-pics-go-viral-447038" hreflang="en">Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli release statement after daughter Vamika's stadium pics go viral</a></p>

<p>Kohli's wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma was present in the stands at the stadium to cheer the former India captain as he played a fantastic knock for the visitors after being dismissed for a duck in the last game. It was a special moment for Kohli and his family but pictures and videos of Vamika soon went viral on social media.</p>

<p><img alt="Anushka" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bdd294f-6786-4575-8c72-5e0079d9ba30" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy%2030th%20birthday%20-%202022-01-24T114627.420.jpg" /></p>

<p>Kohli and Anushka, who had recently celebrated the first birthday of their daughter earlier this month, have always made sure to not reveal her face in the media. The star couple has been seen requesting media persons not to click pictures of their daughter and respect their privacy on several occasions.</p>

<p>However, on Sunday, as Kohli dedicated his fifty this daughter Vamika, the cameras soon panned towards Anushka, who was standing with her daughter in the stands. The videos and pictures flooded on social media in no time. Several fans came out in the support of the star couple and slammed those sharing pictures and videos of their daughter.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lot-of-people-wouldnt-have-been-able-to-digest-virat-kohli-reaching-50-60-wins-as-test-captain-ravi-shastri-446945">&nbsp;Lot of people wouldn't have been able to digest Virat Kohli reaching 50-60 wins as Test captain: Ravi Shastri</a></p>

<p>While many were left in awe after the revelation, some fans lashed out at the cameraman who captured the moment during the game in Cape Town on Sunday. The fans also requested others to respect Kohli and Anushka's privacy and not share the clips of their daughter.</p>

<p><strong>Check out some of the reactions:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm begging all of you please delete that vamika video and Pic from your phone. Please respect their privacy please</p>
— Rahul (@Ittzz_Rahul) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ittzz_Rahul/status/1485267312525852674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guys, please please do not circulate Vamika's photographs on social media. The cameraman showed her and Anushka but please respect their privacy and keep whatever photographs you have, to yourself. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnushkaSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnushkaSharma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a></p>
— Ishika (@IshikaMullick) <a href="https://twitter.com/IshikaMullick/status/1485209354122919938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">can people stop posting vamika's photos as virat and anushka don't want anyone to see her face yet. the least we can do is respect their privacy.</p>
— Priyal Bhojak (@Priiiiiii____) <a href="https://twitter.com/Priiiiiii____/status/1485286272419909633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">please stop sharing vamika's photos, it is clearly against her parent's will, is it that tough to respect someone's privacy??</p>
— zenitsu | euphoria era (@7madridrings) <a href="https://twitter.com/7madridrings/status/1485277378339573762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We all know that accidentally we saw <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> daughter Vamika in while when Virat completed his half century so i request you all not to hype it and upload her photos just a request because he had done many efforts to maintain her life private.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vamika?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vamika</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/virat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#virat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvSA</a></p>
— SITASHAV SHARMA (@SitashavS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SitashavS/status/1485264691144261635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was a brilliant knock from Kohli, who had faced immense criticism from all corners after being dismissed on a duck in the second ODI against the Proteas which India lost by seven wickets. The former India captain bounced back in style and scored 65 runs off 84 balls laced with five fours.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli dedicated his half-century to daughter Vamika with a 'cradle' celebration during the third and final ODI between India and South Africa at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday.

Virat Kohli dedicated his half-century to daughter Vamika with a 'cradle' celebration during the third and final ODI between India and South Africa at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Sunday. Kohli reached his half-century off 63 deliveries during India's run-chase against the Proteas and dedicated it to his daughter Vamika. Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli release statement after daughter Vamika's stadium pics go viral Kohli's wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma was present in the stands at the stadium to cheer the former India captain as he played a fantastic knock for the visitors after being dismissed for a duck in the last game. It was a special moment for Kohli and his family but pictures and videos of Vamika soon went viral on social media. Kohli and Anushka, who had recently celebrated the first birthday of their daughter earlier this month, have always made sure to not reveal her face in the media. The star couple has been seen requesting media persons not to click pictures of their daughter and respect their privacy on several occasions. However, on Sunday, as Kohli dedicated his fifty this daughter Vamika, the cameras soon panned towards Anushka, who was standing with her daughter in the stands. The videos and pictures flooded on social media in no time. Several fans came out in the support of the star couple and slammed those sharing pictures and videos of their daughter. Also Read: Lot of people wouldn't have been able to digest Virat Kohli reaching 50-60 wins as Test captain: Ravi Shastri While many were left in awe after the revelation, some fans lashed out at the cameraman who captured the moment during the game in Cape Town on Sunday. The fans also requested others to respect Kohli and Anushka's privacy and not share the clips of their daughter. Check out some of the reactions: I'm begging all of you please delete that vamika video and Pic from your phone. Please respect their privacy please — Rahul (@Ittzz_Rahul) January 23, 2022 × Guys, please please do not circulate Vamika's photographs on social media. The cameraman showed her and Anushka but please respect their privacy and keep whatever photographs you have, to yourself. #AnushkaSharma #ViratKohli — Ishika (@IshikaMullick) January 23, 2022 × can people stop posting vamika's photos as virat and anushka don't want anyone to see her face yet. the least we can do is respect their privacy. — Priyal Bhojak (@Priiiiiii____) January 23, 2022 × please stop sharing vamika's photos, it is clearly against her parent's will, is it that tough to respect someone's privacy?? — zenitsu | euphoria era (@7madridrings) January 23, 2022 × We all know that accidentally we saw @imVkohli daughter Vamika in while when Virat completed his half century so i request you all not to hype it and upload her photos just a request because he had done many efforts to maintain her life private.#vamika #virat #INDvSA — SITASHAV SHARMA (@SitashavS) January 23, 2022 × It was a brilliant knock from Kohli, who had faced immense criticism from all corners after being dismissed on a duck in the second ODI against the Proteas which India lost by seven wickets. The former India captain bounced back in style and scored 65 runs off 84 balls laced with five fours.

'Respect their privacy': Netizens react as video of Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma's daughter goes viral

<p>Team India ended their disastrous tour of South Africa on Sunday (January 23). While Virat Kohli-led India were 1-0 up after winning the tour opener, i.e. the Centurion Test, everything went downhill from thereon. Kohli &amp; Co. lost the Test series 2-1 and went onto be whitewashed by the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa in the preceding ODIs.</p>

<p>In limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul led the Men in Blue in the three ODIs. Under Rahul, India remained winless by putting up a listless performance in the 50-over leg. After the tour, Rahul believes India have done many things right in the limited-overs formats in the last few years but their white-ball cricket needs a transformation right now.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-hardik-were-really-happy-watching-me-play-in-t20-wc-pak-pacer-recalls-his-time-as-indias-net-bowler-447247"><strong>Rahul, Hardik were really happy watching me play in T20 WC: Pak pacer recalls his time as India's net bowler</strong></a></p>

<p>Rahul told Sports Today in an exclusive chat, "It's a huge honour and it's a dream come true to represent my country and lead my country. Yes, the results didn't go our way but I think there were massive learning. We are at a stage right now where we have World Cups as the focus and we are working towards getting better as a team. I feel like we have played very good cricket over the last four or five years but it's also time for us to get better and transform our white-ball cricket."</p>

<p>During the three ODIs, Rahul's captaincy was heavily criticised. The 29-year-old's field settings and bowling changes were ineffective, when compared to his South African counterpart Bavuma. The star Indian batter has also not had much success as an IPL captain. Nonetheless, Rahul remains undeterred and feels he is learning and will only get better.</p>

<p>"I don't use that as an excuse for not winning, but I think we are a work in progress as a team. I learned so much while leading. Losses make you so much stronger than starting off with victories. My career has always been that way. I have always got everything slowly. I am confident in my leadership skills and I know that I can bring out the best from my players. I know I can do well for my country and franchise," Rahul added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-stick-your-hand-out-and-hurt-yourself-salman-butt-slams-team-indias-poor-show-in-south-africa-odis-447218"><strong>Why stick your hand out and hurt yourself: Salman Butt slams Team India's poor show in South Africa ODIs</strong></a></p>

<p>After the SA tour, India will prepare for their home season, which starts with a limited-overs series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. It will be followed by two Tests and three T20Is versus Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition. It will be interesting to see if Rohit-led India come out with a new approach in the white-ball formats after the SA drubbing.</p>


Team India ended their disastrous tour of South Africa on Sunday (January 23). While Virat Kohli-led India were 1-0 up after winning the tour opener, i.e. the Centurion Test, everything went downhill from thereon.

Team India ended their disastrous tour of South Africa on Sunday (January 23). While Virat Kohli-led India were 1-0 up after winning the tour opener, i.e. the Centurion Test, everything went downhill from thereon. Kohli & Co. lost the Test series 2-1 and went onto be whitewashed by the Temba Bavuma-led South Africa in the preceding ODIs. In limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul led the Men in Blue in the three ODIs. Under Rahul, India remained winless by putting up a listless performance in the 50-over leg. After the tour, Rahul believes India have done many things right in the limited-overs formats in the last few years but their white-ball cricket needs a transformation right now. ALSO READ | Rahul, Hardik were really happy watching me play in T20 WC: Pak pacer recalls his time as India's net bowler Rahul told Sports Today in an exclusive chat, "It's a huge honour and it's a dream come true to represent my country and lead my country. Yes, the results didn't go our way but I think there were massive learning. We are at a stage right now where we have World Cups as the focus and we are working towards getting better as a team. I feel like we have played very good cricket over the last four or five years but it's also time for us to get better and transform our white-ball cricket." During the three ODIs, Rahul's captaincy was heavily criticised. The 29-year-old's field settings and bowling changes were ineffective, when compared to his South African counterpart Bavuma. The star Indian batter has also not had much success as an IPL captain. Nonetheless, Rahul remains undeterred and feels he is learning and will only get better. "I don't use that as an excuse for not winning, but I think we are a work in progress as a team. I learned so much while leading. Losses make you so much stronger than starting off with victories. My career has always been that way. I have always got everything slowly. I am confident in my leadership skills and I know that I can bring out the best from my players. I know I can do well for my country and franchise," Rahul added. ALSO READ | Why stick your hand out and hurt yourself: Salman Butt slams Team India's poor show in South Africa ODIs After the SA tour, India will prepare for their home season, which starts with a limited-overs series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. It will be followed by two Tests and three T20Is versus Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition. It will be interesting to see if Rohit-led India come out with a new approach in the white-ball formats after the SA drubbing.

Time we get better and transform our white-ball cricket, says Rahul post India's listless performance vs SA

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