Virat Kohli's mind and body will take call over his ODI and Test captaincy, asserts Ravi Shastri

11/12/2021

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has said that Virat Kohli's mind and body will take call on his ODI and Test captaincy future, adding that the 33-year-old might choose to focus fully on his batting in coming times. He also called Kohli the best ambassador of Test cricket in the last five years.

Virat Kohli recently stepped down from India's T20I captaincy citing his workload management as the primary reason. The right-hander also called time on his captaincy of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Post Kohli's big call, various media reports have suggested that the BCCI might release the star cricketer from captaincy duties in the ODI's as well.

Now, Ravi Shastri, whose coaching stint with Team India ended with the Virat Kohli-led team's last match against Namibia at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, has given a sneak peek into what could "happen in the near future".

“In red ball cricket, India has been the No1 team in the world for the last 5 years under Virat Kohli. So unless he wants to give up or if he is mentally fatigued and says he wants to focus on his batting - which can happen in the near future, don't think it will happen immediately - it can happen,” Ravi Shastri told India Today in an exclusive interview.

“The same might happen with the ODI. He might say he wants to focus just on Test captaincy. It is his mind and body that will make that decision.

“He won't be the first, there are many players in the past who have had very successful tenures and captains and then given it up to focus on batting,” Shastri added.

Notably, Virat Kohli has been rested for the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand. He will also miss the first Test but will return to lead the team in the second match against World Test Champions New Zealand.

Virat Kohli Test Cricket's biggest brand ambassador in the last 5 years

Further, the 59-year-old heaped rich praises on Virat Kohli, saying that the Delhi-born has been the best ambassador for Test cricket over the past 5 years. He also predicted a long career for Kohli.

“He is hungry. He is fitter than anyone in the team and then your longevity only increases,” Ravi Shastri told India Today.

“The captaincy is his decision. If anything, he might say no to the white ball but red ball, he should carry on because he has been the best ambassador for Test cricket over the past 5 years.

“ The passion with which he plays and the energy he gets to the field and the success, all of it should make him carry on,” added Shastri.