[headbanger]

Originally Posted by NPV

Over the years, India has won a sum total of 10 ODI's Vs South Africa in South Africa.

Of these, Kohli has won 5 out of 6 games as captain. The remaining 5 games have been won by 5 different India captains!

KL Rahul doesn't seem to be ready for captaincy even in ODIs (lost when it comes making field placement changes and bowling changes/rotation). And he completely lacks enthusiasm, energy, vibrancy and intensity that we've been so used to seeing with Virat Kohli. I wish we get back to winning ways soon and do well in the T20 World Cup and then the ODI World Cup next year.

Timing wise, I think the BCCI completely lost it when it came to showing/proving who is the boss, ego clashes and control freaks do not augur well for Indian cricket. I know many people think about Kohli in similar vein, but there's probably much more than meets the eye. In the BCCI Vs Kohli fiasco, Indian cricket seems to be the loser

Let's see how this pans out in the next few months, fingers crossed.

All your points are spot on. While Kohli, the batsman is definitely better than Kohli, the captain but there is a lot that Kohli the captain achieved. As more and more stats trickle, the enormity of Kohli, the captain will emerge.

As far as Rahul captaining the team is concerned, irrespective of who replaces Kohli/Rohit in the long term, the new captain will need a bit of time to settle in and make the team his own. Kohli also took time to settle in the role and cast team out of shadow of MSD. So fans need to be patient with the new captain. It's not going to be easy for any new captain when each and every of his action is going to be compared to his glorious predecessor.

BCCI is a sore loser and they showed it with their conduct. As much as Kohli or for that matter any player is not bigger than the game, the same rule applies to BCCI and their thekedaars.

[msdivy]

I think captaincy must come with a warning similar to mutual funds - the past performance is not necessarily indicative of the future performance. Captain has to be on the edge to ensure the team wins.

For all his captaincy follies, Kolhi the batman shined so bright that it hid the dark spots. When his batting slipped, the team's performance went down. For instance, in the last test these were the top 5 batman he had selected into the team and into playing XI:
1) Rahul K L - does he open or play in the middle order. Does he have to vacate when regulars come?
2) Mayank - He has to vacate when regulars come in.
3) Virat - Out of form for last 2 years
4) Purara - Out of form
5) Rahane - Out of form.
Kohli of the past would have scored 100+ and India would have won the test & series. You can't pack your team with low performers and win. It isn't a fairy tale. I think this is the reason why Kohli is no longer the captain.

Coming to Rohit, he is unsure of his place in Test cricket, especially overseas. But he is a monster in ODI & T20s. I think Rohit should play all ODIs, T20s & only home-Tests. He must sit out overseas tests.

The upcoming World cups are,
T20I WC in Oct/Nov 2022 (Australia)
ODI WC in Oct/Nov 2023 (India)
It is the right time to start putting together the team.

---

On the 1st ODI, isn't Venkatesh Iyer in the team as an all-rounder? Why didn't Rahul(s) bowl even when there was a 204 run partnership? If he isn't bowling, aren't there better batman in the team?

[padmrajravi]

Rahul is clueless as a captain now. I don't think he is the right person for the job. I think for now, BCCI has no choice other than to make Rohit the captain in all formats. I had high hopes of Bunrah maturing to have a shot a Captaincy, but his antics with Jansen puts real shadows on his temperament. I still believe a mature Bumrah is captaincy material.

[Venkatesh]

Fixtures of T20 World Cup 2022 have been announced, starts 16th October.



India will square off against Pakistan in their first match of the tournament on October 23 at the MCG



Teams that have been drawn into two groups for the Round 1 stage.



Teams that have been drawn into two groups for the Super 12 stage.



Australia lights up with the ICC Men's T20WorldCup fixture announcement.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by msdivy

I think this is the reason why Kohli is no longer the captain.

Reasons are aplenty & many theories floating around. But I don't think the SA series loss has anything to do with him stepping down from Test Captaincy.

Coming to Rohit, he is unsure of his place in Test cricket, especially overseas. But he is a monster in ODI & T20s. I think Rohit should play all ODIs, T20s & only home-Tests. He must sit out overseas tests.

Rohit did reasonably well in England & okayish in Australia. Him getting injured before important foreign tours remains a worry though.

The upcoming World cups are,It is the right time to start putting together the team.

This is where the team management & selectors are faltering! Captain & Coach has changed but we're still playing conservatively as before. Team needs fresh ideas & approach.

On the 1st ODI, isn't Venkatesh Iyer in the team as an all-rounder? If he isn't bowling, aren't there better batman in the team?

The Team Management has zero confidence in Venky Iyer's bowling skills! I personally feel he's been overhyped as an all-rounder. He's in the team on the basis of half a good season of IPL! Selectors are just waiting for Hardik & Jadeja to regain fitness.

[AtheK]

Kohli keeps failing with the bat, this has been one of the biggest worries from more then a year now, if this stays like this, he might be seeing himself sitting out of the team too. His place in T20 team is already a question.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Kohli keeps failing with the bat, this has been one of the biggest worries from more then a year now, if this stays like this, he might be seeing himself sitting out of the team too. His place in T20 team is already a question.

come on...you're worrying too much. 2020 and 2021 has not been great for him agreed. But there have been a lot of off-field developments around him. he's also a human it has affected his performance. but if we look at his stats so far, it's just a lean period after long purple patch. In these 2 years, although he's played less number of matches, his average has been pretty decent.

He's that kind of a character who'll bounce back and bounce back hard. cut him some slack.


Test


ODI


T20I

[AtheK]

ya we have all been waiting for the bounce back :P

That said what he has been doing off late is mediocre performances, he set the bar high for himself and one around him, so that is where he is lacking now. We all want him to be back in form and play as he used to play before that is the need of the hour and for the team now.

[Eddy]

Kohli's form doesn't trouble me, his lack of intensity on the field in the last two games does. The Kohli of old would have cursed, abused, punched himself all the way back till the pavilion when getting out the way he did in this match. But today - no reaction. I feel his mind is troubled, and I fear early retirement.

If it happens, it will be a HUGE loss for cricket.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I feel his mind is troubled, and I fear early retirement.

Yikes, no! Don't say that man! I'm no fan of his 'jumping jack' moments, but he's a class-act, a dominating attacking batting champ. I think he's got years of top-class cricket left.

Looks like Pant is effectively shutting up all his critics. If only Rahane and Pujara had done the same during the Tests, we'd have that series win in SA! Feeling that missed opportunity badly! I don't think we'll get such a weak SA team like this in SA again to get that series win ticked off the list!

[papr23]

It hurts my eyes watching KL bat like this. It's worse than watching Dhoni bat between overs 40-48. Hope he moves down the order when Rohit returns.

[Latheesh]

Some of us hates his on field antics. He thinks he is bigger than the team. I think players are under tremendous pressure playing under him.

We will see a different Kohli from now on and that is good.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I feel his mind is troubled, and I fear early retirement.

If it happens, it will be a HUGE loss for cricket.

That's exactly my fear. he has a lot more years of cricket left in him. I only wish he keeps the hunger and a balanced mind to maneuver this low phase.

[SoumenD]

Shardul Thakur is the new Hardik Pandya I feel in terms of all rounder positioning. While his bowling does leak runs, he manages to get wickets more often than none and his batting cameos have been better than some of or our middle order batsmen lately in tests and now in ODIs. If he clicks, I think hardik will have to sit at the sidelines for much longer.

Since India lost the 1st match, something tells me we will win this ODI series. Talk about being ultra-positive, 1st match loss has proved a good sign in few of the previous series' we played.

[mazda4life]

One day international is a dying format, its painful to see this format and such an insipid performance. They all look like a bunch of sad sacks.