After an 84-day tour, Virat Kohli had taken a break from playing cricket and had rested his bat for a while. Kohli’s absence from Asia Cup was outrageous but understandable since the Indian captain needed to rest since cricket tours can take a toll on you.
Similarly, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) too expressed their disappointment over Virat Kohli’s absence but their disappointment was backed by their fear of an effect on their revenues. Alongside, the ACC wrote an email to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stating that the Asia Cup broadcasters - Star - were unhappy with Kohli’s exclusion from the squad. This has caused a head-on collision between BCCI and ACC.
Virat Kohli is undoubtedly one of the prominent cricket players of world cricket currently. The 29-year-old currently displayed his class after he emerged as the top run-getter with 593 runs in five Tests against England. The exclusion of a star player can be disappointing from the viewpoint of a broadcaster but interfering and calling out BCCI to send their best national team didn’t go well with the Indian cricket board.
The BCCI in reply told ACC that neither they nor the broadcasters have any call in national team selection matters. The cricket board clearly stated that it is solely the parent body’s prerogative to make choices regarding the national team and no one other than that can make any interference.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri wrote,
It is not open for ACC or its broadcaster to insist on selection of any particular player and/or to question the expertise of any selection committee as to which is the best available team for particular tournament.”
Meanwhile, the Men in Blue are all set for back-to-back encounters on September 18 and 19. Firstly, they will play against Hong Kong and then on September 19, the Indians will face their arch-rivals Pakistan.
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