The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been witnessing a lot of criticism from fans on social media for taking more than 24 hours to pay tribute to Virat Kohli after replacing him with Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI skipper. The way BCCI has handed over the reins to Rohit hasn’t gone down well with a section of fans, even though the move came on expected lines as Kohli failed to win a single ICC title during his four-year tenure as the limited-overs skipper.
Earlier this year, Virat Kohli decided to hang his boots as a T20I skipper after the World Cup in UAE last month but he made no such announcements before the BCCI’s statement on December 8. The board just informed about Rohit’s takeover which led to a furore among Kohli fans.
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#ShameOnBCCI has been one of the top trending hashtags in India on social media since Wednesday’s announcement. The BCCI was once again trolled after they thanked Kohli for his service as the ODI skipper.
A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝
Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021
Thanking Virat Kohli for his captaincy, BCCI wrote: “A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. Thank you Captain @imVkohli!” But fans were left unimpressed as they felt the post came too late.
Is this way to make a tribute to the world's best record maker as captain,batsman? Since today I respect #SouravGanguly but not anymore. #ShameOnBCCI
— Ayush Raj (@m_ayushraj_) December 9, 2021
To nikala kyu? pic.twitter.com/8OXNvSfmpA
— Mr. A 🏏 (@cricdrugs) December 9, 2021
Even Bhide's scooter is faster than you
— Ayush Prajapati ✨ (@im_ayush_) December 9, 2021
That's it not my board, I am no longer a BCCI supporter, I am moving to a better board like PCB where they know how to run a cricket team
— Akki (@CrickPotato) December 9, 2021
A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝
Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021
Virat Kohli took over as India’s limited-overs captain in 2017 when MS Dhoni announced his resignation and captained the team in 95 ODIs, winning 65 of them with a win percentage of 68. He led India in the Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup but India lost in the final to Pakistan in the former tournament and they were eliminated in the semi-final of the 50-over showpiece event in England.
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The Indian team also crashed out of last month’s T20 World Cup in the Super 12s stage which may have contributed to the BCCI’s decision to make Rohit the white-ball captain due to his track record with 5-time champions Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
