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India's legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh has dropped a bombshell and urged Team India's selection committee to not sideline Virat Kohli from T20Is without intimating him. After India's lacklustre show in the T20 World Cup 2022, the speculations were rife that Indian team management are planning to build a new and young brigade for the shortest format for the next World Cup, which can also see the axing of some of the senior players, including Kohli.
While speaking to Hindustan Times, Harbhajan said that in case the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to build a new T20I Team India side and drop Kohli in the process, they should let the batting juggernaut beforehand, unlike what happened to us in our time. Harbhajan recalled his personal experience of being dropped from the team and only finding out through newspapers.
"See, I don't know what selectors have in their minds and what they want to do but if we don't win big tournaments like the World Cup, there always is pressure and the senior players bear the brunt of it. We tend to say 'If the established stars are not able to win, we might as well pick youngsters – we should invest in them'," Harbhajan said.
Harbhajan also said that Kohli has the right to know about his future. Notably, Kohli after coming through a lean patch, has found his mojo back and is in form of his life. For both Team India and for his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kohli has been roaring with the willow come what may.
"But as far as Virat is concerned, I don't think he can be sidelined on the basis of form, Yes, you can of course speak to him and convey that look we are building a young team but whatever they choose to do, it should be conveyed to seniors. They shouldn't be informed after a decision is made," Harbhajan further added.
"We were sidelined first and then got to know through newspapers. It shouldn't happen to Kohli. A player should be given respect – be it Rohit, Virat or whoever else. Communication is the key. If conducted properly, it will create a healthy relationship between players and selectors because if someone is sidelined and not informed about it, that leaves a sour taste in every player's mouth," Harbhajan concluded.
The former India skipper was India's top-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2022 and played a match winning knock in the tie against arch-nemesis Pakistan. He also bagged the Player of the Tournament (POTT) award in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups. Kohli is also among the leading run-getters in the ongoing IPL, with 364 runs in nine matches riding on five half centuries.
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