During the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 Final between India and Australia, former Australia coach Justin Langer expressed admiration for Indian batsman Virat Kohli’s aggressive playing style and criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for not allowing Kohli to continue as captain in the One Day International (ODI) format.
“Loved his (Virat Kohli) aggression. BCCI did injustice to him, and I do not want to hear anything else. If he wanted to keep the ODI captaincy, he should have been allowed to do that out of respect,” Justin Langer commented while providing commentary during the WTC Final. Langer further praised Kohli, saying, “There was nothing I didn’t like about Virat Kohli. His aggression, his passion, his batting. He was an amazing captain.”
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In December 2021, Kohli was unexpectedly removed from the ODI captaincy as part of the BCCI’s restructuring of the team’s leadership. As an ODI captain, Kohli boasts an outstanding win percentage of 70.43, with 65 wins in 95 matches.
Former Australia coach Justin Langer says Virat Kohli was an amazing captain, he loved his aggression.
BCCI did injustice to him, and I do not want to hear anything else. If he wanted to keep the ODI captaincy, he should have been allowed to do that out of respect. #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/9raLRIvxHx
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) June 7, 2023
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On June 7, Team India faced Australia at The Oval in London in a crucial match to determine the winner of the coveted mace. It is worth noting that in the previous cycle of 2019-21, under Kohli’s leadership, India missed their opportunity to secure the title against New Zealand.
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Langer’s praise for Kohli’s aggression and his criticism of the BCCI’s decision to remove him as ODI captain highlight Kohli’s impact as a player and raise questions about the board’s handling of captaincy matters. As the WTC Final unfolds, Kohli’s absence as an ODI captain remains a topic of discussion among cricket enthusiasts and experts.
