The childhood coach of former Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli recalled how the Indian team management gave a strange choice to the player ahead of his international debut. While discussing the BCCI’s decision to not include Ruturaj Gaikwad in the Indian T20I squad, Rajkumar Sharma remembered how the team management once gave new player Virat a chance to either open the innings or bat back at number seven.
During his domestic cricket career, Kohli generally batted in the top-order. He was not an opener, but someone who would bat at number three, four or five. However, the team management gave him two extreme options, as per Rajkumar Sharma.
The reason behind that there was no vacancy in the top order back then in 2008. Virender Sehwag was injured. So, the team needed an opener. Otherwise, they could have promoted other batters by one spot and slotted in Virat at the number seven position. Kohli agreed to open and scored 12 runs off 22 deliveries against Sri Lanka.
After that, Kohli cemented the number three spot in the team and no one has been able to take it from him to date. Even in the recently-concluded ODI series against South Africa, Kohli batted at number three for India.
I remember when Virat Kohli debuted in Sri Lanka, Virender Sehwag got unfit: Rajkumar Sharma
During a discussion on the Khelneeti podcast, Rajkumar Sharma said:
“I remember when Virat debuted in Sri Lanka, Virender Sehwag got unfit. He (Virat) was told to either open or bat at 7. He said he will open though he had never opened even for our academy, leave alone in the Ranji Trophy. It all depends on the mindset of the player.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad did not receive a spot in the Indian T20I squad for the West Indies series, but he is present in the ODI squad. It will be interesting to see if he plays.
