Hyderabad: In contemporary cricket, Virat Kohli is one of the most prolific batsmen, and with combined 70 centuries in ODI and Test cricket he is now way ahead of his contemporaries. Soon after leading India U-19 to World Cup triumph in 2008, he was on the radar for selection in the senior team. Then chairman of selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar wanted to Kohli give a chance, but former captain MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten were not in favour of the idea.
However, Vengsarkar, who was himself a technically sound batsman, had no doubt about Kohli's potential as a top-notch batsman. So, he didn't change his decision. But Vengsarkar's decision, which later proved to be a well-sighted move as Kohli now continues to dominate world cricket like no other, came at a cost as he was sacked from his position.
The former India captain Vengsarkar said his decision came at a price as he gave preference to talented youngster Kohli over Tamil Nadu cricketer S. Badrinath in 2008.
Vengsarkar had recommended Kohli's name during a selection committee meeting for the bilateral series in Sri Lanka in 2008. He felt that the U-19 World Cup winning players should also be given chances to hone their skills. As Kohli was a talented protege so he deserves a chance.
“There was an Emerging Players tournament in Australia (for) youngsters — four A-teams were there — India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand,” Vengsarkar said.
“Me and my colleagues decided that we will take the U-23 boys and at that time we had won the U-19 World Cup, Virat Kohli was the U-19 captain and I selected him in the team,” he added.
But to Vengsarkar's surprise then India coach Gary Kirsten and captain Dhoni opposed his decision citing that they have not seen Kohli batting, hence want to continue with an unchanged side. Vengsarkar, however, didn't change his decision which eventually cost him the job, thanks to then BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan.
“He (Kohli) was technically sound and I thought he should be played. We were going to Sri Lanka and I felt that this is the ideal situation that he should be in the team. My four colleagues said ‘As you say Dilip Bhai’,” he said, referring to the other members of the selection panel.
“However, Gary and Dhoni were saying ‘No, we haven’t seen him and we will continue with the same team’. I told them ‘You haven’t seen him but I have seen and we have to take this boy’,” Vengsarkar said.
