After stepping down from India’s T20 captaincy following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, Virat Kohli was removed as the skipper in the ODIs as well ahead of the South Africa series, which came as a surprise to many. Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma was taken aback by the sudden announcement as the star Indian batsman said he wanted to focus on leading the team in the ODIs and Tests when he had announced his decision of relinquishing from the post in the shortest format.

Speaking on the Khelneeti podcast, Sharma said, “I haven’t talked to him (Virat Kohli) yet. His phone is switched off for some reason. But as far as my opinion is concerned, he had specifically stepped down from T20 captaincy and the selectors should’ve straightaway asked him to step down from both the white-ball formats, or not step down at all.”

Sharma also expressed his surprise at BCCI president Sourav Ganguly’s statement regarding them asking Kohli to not step down from the role in T20Is as well, saying that he doesn’t recall anything like that.

“I read Sourav Ganguly’s comments recently that they had asked Kohli to not step down from T20I captaincy (before the World Cup). I don’t recall anything like that. This statement came as a surprise to me. There are different statements circulating around,” Sharma said.

Sharma said that the board and the management should have been clearer on Kohli’s leadership after he gave up the captaincy in T20Is and where did they stand on his role in the future.

“The selection committee doesn’t provide a reason behind the decision. We don’t know what the management or the BCCI or the selectors want. There’s no clarification, no transparency at all.

“It’s a pity how this has happened. He has been such a successful one-day captain,” he further said.