Former India captain Kapil Dev has shared his views on star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s recent return to domestic cricket. Both Kohli and Rohit played a match each for their respective sides in the Ranji Trophy, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for players to feature in domestic circuit. While Kohli last played for Delhi in 2013, we would also have to go a decade back for Rohit’s last Ranji appearance for Mumbai.
The BCCI had implemented this rule in a 10-point list of dos and dont’s for the players, following India lost to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, Kapil Dev has called for a stricter system, suggesting that the players should play in Ranji Trophy even if they score runs in international cricket.
“If you are talking about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, playing Ranji Trophy after 12 years…how is that right? It does not look good at all. It’s not because they did not perform. Whether they score runs or not, you have to score runs in domestic cricket. So yes, certain strong measures have to be taken. But my point is, had we won or had Rohit or Kohli scored runs, would they have played Ranji Trophy? Don’t look at the performances, make the system strong. Whether you score zero or lakhs of runs, play cricket by staying within the system,” Dev told Cricket Adda.
In their 10-point diktat, the BCCI had also set a new rule to limit the family time of players on tours. Sharing his views on the same, Dev added that while bringing families during tour is not wrong, he backed the BCCI’s decision.
“Taking your wives on tours is not wrong, but I feel that if the tour is one month, they should not be allowed for the first 20 days so that the players can play together as a team. Similarly, for a three-month campaign, at least for a month players should be left alone with the team,” he added.
Dev also backed the BCCI’s decision not to allow players to travel alone. He said: “Also team should travel together, this is not an individual sport.”
Meanwhile, Kohli and Rohit will be action on Wednesday as India take on England in the 3rd and final ODI in Ahmedabad. India have already clinched the series, deemed as the ideal preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
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