Due to Rohit Sharma’s unavailability for the fifth rescheduled Test against England in Edgbaston, the Indian cricket team got a new captain in Jasprit Bumrah. Devoid of any captaincy experience in First-class, IPL or List-A games, Bumrah became India’s 36th Test captain. Bumrah’s elevation came despite the presence of a number of senior players on the side. Virat Kohli was one of them. He is a former captain of India under whom the Test side reached great heights. After the Indian innings ended at 416 as the visitors huddled to start bowling against England, there was an interesting spectacle to behold.
In the Team India huddle it was Kohli and not skipper Jasprit Bumrah who gave the pep talk to the teammates.
Kohli gives the team a chat as Bumrah watches. pic.twitter.com/vHk2UhePH0
— * (@deepcuv) July 2, 2022
The incident has attracted numerous reactions from the cricket fans.
Kohli talks in the circle. It feels like he’s still the captain. Once a leader always a leader
— REMINƎM (@prem_rajeshree) July 2, 2022
Virat Kohli addresses the team huddle. He may not be the captain, but he can never take out the leader. #inflation
— Anoushka (@_Anoushkaaa) July 2, 2022
A leader doesn’t always have to be a captain!
Kohli..
— VIKAS🇮🇳(@vikasdarji_) July 2, 2022
India, leading 2-1 in the five-game match, is without permanent captain Rohit Sharma after being ruled out with Covid-19. Fellow opener KL Rahul, who scored big in England last year with Rohit, had already been sidelined with a groin problem. A win or draw in the fifth rescheduled Test match sees India win their fourth ever Test series in England
Both teams have experienced major upheaval since they last met, with Chris Silverwood and Root being replaced as England coaches and Test captains respectively.
Kohli stepped down as India captain in February, with pace-setter Jasprit Bumrah in charge at Edgbaston for the first time, while Rahul Dravid succeeded the retiring Ravi Shastri as coach in November.
promoted
By playing the game, albeit nearly a year later than planned, India is helping to fill an estimated £40 million ($48 million) hole in English cricket’s finances.
(with AFP inputs)
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