India Told They Made A Mistake Letting Virat Kohli Relinquish Test Captaincy

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has said that ace batter Virat Kohli gave cricket in the country a new direction, adding that the team management made a mistake by letting him give up Test captaincy, probably due to some communication gap.

India’s transition in Tests has come with its share of ups and downs, with Kohli’s absence felt both in the middle order and in the field. His decision to retire from the format continues to divide opinion, with many believing he still had much more to contribute.

Although Kohli finished his Test career just short of the 10,000-run milestone, it does little to diminish the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind. As skipper, he revolutionised India’s approach to red-ball cricket, instilling an aggressive mindset

and the belief that the team could compete and win, anywhere in the world.

“I do feel a little disappointed about Virat, as there were still a lot of Tests left in him. Virat gave Indian cricket a new direction. He brought aggression and showed the team how to win,” Lal said while speaking on the YouTube channel Kadak. 

“But I don’t know what happened with Virat. I don’t know who the selector was at the time, but I think they made a mistake. He should have been allowed to continue as captain,” Lal said.

“That is my personal opinion. I believe there was some communication gap between them because, in my view, Virat could have continued as captain for another two or three years,” Lal added.

Kohli resigned as India’s Test skipper in early 2022, just weeks after being removed as the ODI captain. His decision to step down from the longest format’s captaincy role was seen as being influenced by the circumstances surrounding his dismissal as the ODI skipper.