The BCCI issued a statement on Sunday saying that Team India captain Virat Kohli will address a press conference before the team's departure for West Indies. This came after there were speculations for the entire day over whether or not the skipper would brief the media owing to the reported tiff with vice-captain Rohit Sharma.
This saga of a strained relationship between the two senior players has certainly got the BCCI worried and the board has now decided to intervene in the issue and speak to both the players. Board CEO Rahul Johri will fly across to the United States next week in a bid to placate the two players. "In today's age when support groups get involved, things can get messy. Both are mature individuals and things should be back on track after being spoken with," a BCCI source told India Today.
BCCI has tried to deny any such spats on record
The BCCI, however, has not yet given any hint about the dispute, but there have been efforts to douse the fire even as the side prepares to jet off for West Indies.
The report also states that BCCI is willing to rope in Ravi Shastri and ask him to speak to the players as the head coach oversaw the transition phase which saw captaincy being handed over from MS Dhoni to Kohli. Shastri will try to reiterate to both the players to keep interests of the team above individual differences of opinion.
This development is interesting as last week, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) had rubbished all such media reports which spoke about a split in the Indian team. The CoA maintained that they will only take cognizance of such reports if members of the side bring them up and that they are not going to be swayed by any media reports.
There were also rumours of captaincy being split between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the two different formats, but the selectors reposed their faith on Kohli for the complete series of West Indies. However, after the reversal in World Cup, there will be a spotlight on Kohli, the batsman and the captain in West Indies.
India will take on West Indies in a 3-match T20I series which will then be followed by a 3-match ODI series. The tour will end with a 2-match Test series which is also a part of the new World Test Championship.
