"Why Virat Kohli is not captain of Test team?": Subramaniam Badrinath

Virat Kohli and former Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath (Pic: AFP)

After facing a defeat against South Africa in the first test match, former Indian cricket Subramaniam Badrinath questioned why star batsman Virat Kohli is not leading the team in the Test and also added that Rohit Sharma is not a proven opening batsman in overseas conditions. Rohit Sharma-led Indian team lost the first test match against South Africa within just three days by an innings and 32 runs. Since 1992-93 India's dream of winning a test series against South Africa on South African soil has not come into reality.

"Kohli has a great record as a test leader. He has scored more than 5000 runs with an average of 52+ as a captain. He has 40 wins and 17 losses in 68 tests. He led us to a tremendous victory in the Australia series. He has the most wins as Test captain after Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh," Subramaniam Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.

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Virat Kohli has captained India in 68 test matches out of which the team have come victorious on 40 occasions, have lost 17 games and 11 matches ended in a draw. His win percentage is over 58 per cent. Under Kohli's captaincy, India has won a series in Australia and has registered many test wins and series wins in England, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka.

As a captain, Virat scored 5,608 runs in Tests at an average of 53.40, with 18 centuries and 18 fifties in 111 innings and the best score of 254'. Under his leadership, India was the number-one Test team for multiple years in a row.

"Why is he (Virat) not the captain of the Test team? I want to raise this valid question. He is a better test batter. There is no comparison between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He is a big player in terms of Test cricket. He has scored runs everywhere. Why is he not leading and a weaker player? As far as I am concerned, a weaker player who is not yet proven as an opener. He has been in and out. We can consider all of that. But I think Rohit Sharma has not proven himself as an opener outside India. Why is he there?" Badrinath added.

Rohit has a fine Test record, having scored 3,682 runs in 53 Tests at an average of 45.45, with 10 centuries and 16 fifties in 90 innings.

But his record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and South Africa) nations, where India has been weak historically, is not very good. In 21 Tests across these countries, Rohit has scored 1,182 runs at an average of 30.30, with a century and six fifties in 42 innings.

(With ANI Inputs)