Until 2020, Virat Kohli was in dream form. He averaged 54.97 in Tests and 57.88 in ODIs with 14,181 runs. Many believed he was on track to break Sachin Tendulkar’s records across formats.
Ganguly’s Arrival and the Shift in Dynamics
Things seemed to change after Sourav Ganguly became the BCCI President in late 2019. According to social media discussions, Kohli’s dip in form and captaincy issues started around the same time.
Fans and some experts claim politics played a bigger role than performance. What was once a smooth rise soon turned into a string of controversial decisions.
Kohli’s Captaincy Exit Raised Eyebrows
In 2021, Kohli stepped down as T20I captain after his first World Cup outing as skipper. Reports suggested he didn’t have a say in team selections.
Soon after, the BCCI removed him from ODI captaincy. Kohli revealed in a press conference that he wanted to continue, but the board had other plans.
Public Spats and Speculations
After India’s win in a Test match against South Africa, Chetan Sharma addressed the media. Many fans saw this as a move to publicly embarrass Kohli. Not long after, he quit Test captaincy too.
Anushka Sharma’s post at that time also sparked talks about possible behind-the-scenes politics.
Kohli vs Ganguly: Contradictory Claims
Kohli had publicly stated that Ganguly was not truthful regarding the ODI captaincy matter. This added more fuel to the speculation around internal conflicts in Indian cricket.
Reports claimed that the stress and politics off the field impacted Kohli’s performance on it.
Fans Compare Kohli’s Path with Joe Root
Many fans often compare Kohli with Joe Root. While Root continues to shine in all formats close to age 35, Kohli’s form took a hit post-2020.
Social media debates suggest that if Kohli had maintained his earlier form, he could have already surpassed 105 international centuries.
More Changes and Further Setbacks
Some fans believe Kohli’s challenges didn’t end with Ganguly’s exit. With Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar stepping in during Jay Shah’s term, many felt Kohli was pushed further to the side.
From leading India in all formats, Kohli is now mainly seen in one format. His ODI future also seems unclear.
Legacy Beyond Stats
Was it politics or a natural dip in form? The debate continues, both in the media and among fans.
One thing is certain: Virat Kohli’s legacy is bigger than just records. His journey now reflects not just cricketing greatness but also the impact of off-field decisions on sporting careers.
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