Is Virat Kohli controlling BCCI, Indian cricket? CoA chief reveals influence of skipper

A dominant feeling amongst the cricketing circle has been that Indian captain Virat Kohli gets a free hand in the BCCI and that the board allows him to do as he pleases. But the committee of administrators (CoA) president Vinod Rai has refuted any such theories and said that checks and balances are in place and deliberations take place before any decision is made.

"It's good to have checks and balances. When a team performs badly, I don't think it's only the captain's (responsibility). There are a lot of closed door discussions... To say that nobody held Virat Kohli responsible for the (World Cup) loss would be incorrect," Rai was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Did Kohli have a say in Shastri's appointment as the coach?

There were also different questions posed at Rai around the appointment of Ravi Shastri as head coach and how Kohli was a big factor in the appointment. However, the president explained the process and how the stipulated rules were followed.

"We took charge on January 30, 2017. In April, when we happened to be in Hyderabad for the first match of the IPL season, Kumble's contract was produced before me. Kumble's contract, or rather selection as a coach, was for a two-year period. The person selected then did not find favour... So Kumble was selected, but he was given only a one-year tenure. Kumble's contract did not have a clause for extension," he said.

Rai also said that they were trying to act as per the rules and how the government of the day wanted them to act on diplomatic issues. He praised Ravi Shastri as a coach and said he had kept the team ready and battle-ready at all times.

"Now, again, I don't know how many coaches would have been superior to Shastri, but at least he has managed to keep the team fighting fit, battle-ready and cohesive in every respect. So I think he performed very well as a coach," he further added.

There has been a change made to the management after India's World Cup campaign and while there is this common notion that Virat Kohli's influence is supreme in Indian cricket and in BCCI, the CoA chief believes that things have taken place as per the stipulated norms and regulations.