Captain Kohli looks forward to Dada time
While M.S. Dhoni has been unavailable post the 2019 World Cup, the selection committee has included Sanju Samson as a backup for Rishabh Pant.
Mumbai, Oct. 24: India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said he is looking forward to a “highlevel, professional” discussion with newly-elected BCCI President and former skipper Sourav Ganguly when the two meet to thrash out the way forward for the national cricket team.
After taking charge as BCCI President here on Wednesday, Ganguly had called Kohli the most important man in Indian cricket and said he was there to make life easier for the skipper, not difficult.
“I am going to meet him now. I am looking forward to a good discussion. He is someone who has played a lot of cricket before, who knows the situation we are in, what the team needs, the requirements of Indian cricket,” said Kohli at an Audi event here on Thursday.
“So you need a good, professional, high-level discussion. It will be a healthy discussion because I am playing currently and he has played before, there will be a understanding of these things. I have had good discussions in the past with him and I expect the same this time,” he added. One thing Ganguly wants from Kohli is to lead India to trophies in ICC tournaments, something that the country has not done since the Champions Trophy.
On Wednesday, the 47year-old Ganguly said he has a fair understanding of Kohli and the team’s requirements and he was committed to fulfilling those during his tenure. WILL BACK PANT, ASSURES MSK Chief selector M.S.K. Prasad on Wednesday made it clear that they are willing to give Rishabh Pant a long rope, saying Mahendra Singh Dhoni is on the same page with the selection committee’s decision to back youngsters. While Dhoni has made himself unavailable for selection since the 2019 World Cup, the selection committee on Thursday included Sanju Samson as a back-up wicket-keeper for Pant in India’s T20 squad.
Prasad said he has already mentioned that it’s time to think beyond Dhoni and it reflected in their team selections. “I made it very clear, post World Cup that we are moving on. We are giving opportunities to youngsters and see that they establish themselves in the side. With Rishabh Pant doing so well and Sanju Samson coming into the side, I am sure, you must be understanding our thought process. We definitely had a chat with Dhoni and he also endorses our view of backing youngsters,” Prasad said.
Putting his weight firmly behind Pant, Prasad said, “Post World Cup, I have been very clear on this, and now, we have started backing Rishabh Pant,” Prasad said.