Would be nervous of a Virat Kohli who does not have leadership responsibility, says Jonty Rhodes
Virat Kohli scored two half-centuries against South Africa in the three-match ODI series
|| Courtesy - Twitter
Jonty Rhodes has stated that the opposition teams should be careful about Virat Kohli now as he no longer carries the leadership duties, and would be eager to score runs heavily to prove his position as a batsman. Kohli had relinquished his Test captaincy after the red-ball series in South Africa.
India suffered a 1-2 defeat against South Africa in the three-match Test series, and the visitors also went down to the Proteas in the ODI series by 0-3. However, more than these defeats, the cricket fraternity was shocked by Virat Kohli's decision to quit the Test captaincy after losing the red-ball series against South Africa.
Kohli had relinquished the India T20I captaincy after the T20 World Cup 2021, and later ahead of the South Africa tour, the 33-year-old was sacked from the ODI leadership role. The BCCI named Rohit Sharma as India's full-time white-ball captain, and the opening batsman is most likely to succeed Kohli as Test captain of the national team.
Meanwhile, Jonty Rhodes stated that the opposition teams should be wary of Kohli, who no longer carries the leadership duties. The former South Africa cricketer further added that the 33-year-old will be eager to score runs heavily to show his point as a batsman for Team India.
“I'd be a little bit nervous of a Kohli who doesn't have the responsibility of leadership. Not that it cost him anything. I think he scored incredible runs for India. But he is such a passionate guy that he would want go out there and score heavily just to show that he is still relevant to India in any capacity,” said Rhodes on Sony Sports Network.
Rhodes heaped praise on Kohli for his contribution as captain for Team India. The former South African cricketer further added that Kohli has a great commitment to the game, and his work ethic is very strong.
“With regards to him stepping down (as Test captain), it's always a personal decision. He's obviously not retired. Many captains leave the job and just walk away but Kohli's still around. He is very passionate. We know how he plays the game. He is always 100 percent committed. His work ethic is just as strong. He obviously thinks he has a role to play for India still, just not as a captain. You have to respect someone like him for what he has done,” he added.
