Virat Kohli backed to continue as India captain in all three cricket formats

Published
India's captain Virat Kohli holds his wedding ring as he celebrates scoring his century on the second day of the first Test cricket match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on August 2, 2018. — AFP/File
India's captain Virat Kohli holds his wedding ring as he celebrates scoring his century on the second day of the first Test cricket match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on August 2, 2018. — AFP/File

Virat Kohli will continue to captain India in all three formats, a top national cricket board official said on Tuesday, after speculation that the batting great could be replaced as skipper for limited-overs games.

Kohli's recent sketchy form with the bat has led to reports that changes could be made after the T20 World Cup, which begins next month in the United Arab Emirates.

But Kohli received a vote of confidence from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah.

“There is no such proposal [to replace Kohli] and the team is led by Virat and we are backing him,” said Shah.

“We are sensitive to the fact that such a proposal is not in the interest of the Indian team when it will take part in a World Cup,” Shah told website Cricbuzz.

Indian media have reported that opening batsman Rohit Sharma could take over as Twenty20 and 50-over captain and that the change had been discussed by the BCCI.

“As long as a team is performing, the question of [a] change in captaincy doesn't arise,” Shah was reported as saying by the Indian Express newspaper.

Kohli led India to a landmark Test series win in Australia in January and they were leading 2-1 in England when the fifth and final Test was controversially cancelled last week because of a coronavirus outbreak in the tourists' camp.

The Indian team has not lost a Twenty20 series under Kohli, but they have failed to win either the 50-over Champions Trophy, World Cup or T20 World Cup since he became white-ball captain in 2017.

Shah also confirmed that the Indian team has offered to play two extra T20 matches in England next July in place of the cancelled Test.

The England board suffered huge financial losses from the refusal of Indian players to take part because of coronavirus fears.

“Instead of three T20Is, we will play five T20Is. Alternately, we will be willing to play a one-off Test as well. It is up to them to choose either of the offers,” said Shah.

India pulled out of the final Test at Old Trafford last week after head coach Ravi Shastri and other support staff contracted the virus and had to be isolated.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said on Monday that India was willing to reschedule the final Test as part of next year's series.

Opinion

Editorial

Lull in fighting
Updated 28 Jul, 2026

Lull in fighting

AFTER two weeks of escalating violence, the US has halted its strikes on Iran, with Tehran also silencing it guns....
Water policy
28 Jul, 2026

Water policy

THE country is caught in a crisis where there too much water at the wrong time and too little when it is most ...
Ending hepatitis
28 Jul, 2026

Ending hepatitis

WORLD Hepatitis Day is being observed under the theme ‘Hepatitis: Let’s break it down’, a call to remove the...
Writing on the wall
27 Jul, 2026

Writing on the wall

EVERY few months, another set of figures reminds Pakistan of a painful reality. Sahil’s latest Six Months Cruel...
Still unprepared
27 Jul, 2026

Still unprepared

EVEN as Pakistan counts around 100 deaths since the onset of the monsoon season on June 26, it is bracing for ...
Delayed devolution
27 Jul, 2026

Delayed devolution

THE debate over Islamabad’s reluctance to fully let go of devolved subjects has been running since 2010. But it ...