India’s World Cup winner, Kirti Azad’s latest social media post has created quite a stir in the cricket circuit surrounding speculations on Virat Kohli’s future in T20I cricket.
Taking to the micro-blogging website X (previously known as Twitter), Azad revealed that BCCI secretary Jay Shah had asked chief selector Ajit Agarkar to convince others to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup (to be held in June in the Caribbean and the USA).
A Telegraph report last week broke the internet claiming that India veteran Virat could face omission from the squad for the marquee event for his inability to make runs on slower pitches.
While people close to the information admitted this report to be false, Azad’s latest post contradicts it.
Azad said Shah had given Agarkar time till March 15 to convey the message to the decision-makers within and even Captain Rohit Sharma to drop Kohli for the T20 World Cup.
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Per the sources, Rohit declined to do it, saying he needs Kohli at any cost at the ICC event.
Without mentioning any name, Azad even said, “Nincompoops should not involve themselves in the selection process.”
His post read,
“Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March.
If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was neither able to convince himself nor the other selectors. Jay Shah asked Rohit Sharma too, but Rohit said we need Virat Kohli at any cost. Virat Kohli will play the T20 World Cup, and its official announcement will be made before the team selection.
Nincompoops should not involve themselves in the selection process.
@imVkohli @ImRo45 @BCCI
Why should Jay Shah, he is not a selector, to give responsibility to Ajit Agarkar to talk to the other selectors and convince them that Virat Kohli is not getting a place in the T20 team. For this, time was given till 15th March. If sources are to be believed, Ajit Agarkar was… pic.twitter.com/FyaJSClOLw
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 17, 2024
Kohli returns to IPL after the break
Virat Kohli missed the England Test series for the birth of his second child and has joined his IPL team – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), ahead of the 17th edition beginning on March 22 in Chennai.
RCB and Chennai Super Kings will play IPL 2024 opener.
Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup will begin shortly after the IPL 2024, the final schedule of which is yet to be announced.
For the record, India last won the T20 World Cup in 2007 – the inaugural edition in South Africa.