Experts Slam BCCI’s Handling of Virat Kohli’s Captaincy Exit: “Threw Him Out Like a Fly!”

As India celebrated a dominant nine-wicket victory over Australia in the final ODI, attention swiftly turned from the pitch to a heated debate about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its handling of former captain Virat Kohli’s exit from leadership.

During an episode of The Bombay Sport Exchange, K Shriniwas Rao, Head of Content – Sports at Times Internet, and Shailendra Singh, founder of Percept and Sunburn, voiced sharp criticism of how the BCCI managed Kohli’s transition from captaincy.

“You appointed Ravi Shastri as the coach, you appointed Virat Kohli as the captain, you let them run the show — and then suddenly you throw Virat out like he’s a fly in a cup of tea. Are you mad?” said Shailendra, expressing disbelief at the lack of respect shown to one of India’s most influential cricketers.

He added that Kohli was far more than just a sports figure. “Virat Kohli is not just a cricketer. He’s an inspiration. Forget cricket — Virat spoke to the youth of the country, united them for causes,” he said, questioning why Indian cricket “remained silent” during his removal.

Shriniwas Rao agreed that the board failed to manage Kohli’s influence effectively. “BCCI didn’t know how to use him properly. That’s half the problem,” he noted, adding that both Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been unfairly grouped under the same expectations.

“Everything that applies to Rohit will also apply to Virat, and everything that applies to Virat will also apply to Rohit — which is wrong,” Rao remarked.

The discussion also touched on fitness standards among senior players. Rao cited an example of Rohit Sharma’s former trainer commenting on the player’s weight loss, emphasizing that fitness is non-negotiable at the international level.

“When I’m discussing whether a cricketer can play in 2027, if fitness is the benchmark, I can’t look at both of them through the same lens. It’s unfair,” Rao concluded.

The remarks reignite a long-standing conversation about how Indian cricket treats its legends — balancing respect, performance, and the evolving demands of leadership.

Originally published on newsworldstime.com.