Virat Kohli’s announcement of leaving captaincy is not going to help in T20 World Cup, here's why

Virat Kohli, on Thursday, announced that he is going to step down from the post of captain of the Indian cricket team after the T20 World Cup. The timing of this announcement is definitely questionable.

There were rumours that Kohli is looking for an apt time to step down, but it was not expected to be announced before the World Cup for two simple reasons. First, it’s not going to help lift the team’s motivation from where it already is. Indian team is one of the finest in the shortest version of cricket, but with a captain walking away right after the tournament, it might not feel much motivated.

Kohli is not retiring or leaving the game, so it’s not a matter of giving a tribute to the captain by winning the World Cup. He will remain an integral part of the team, so the fellow players are not going to miss his towering presence.

Second, if Rohit Sharma is going to take over after the World Cup, why not give him the chance in the World Cup as well. At least, the team will be under the impression that the captain is going to be at the helm of affairs for a longer period.

If Kohli had to play a more senior-like part, the management could already have offered Sharma the captaincy, especially when Sharma has proved his mettle as a captain for Mumbai Indians and team India at several occasions.

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Then there is the Dhoni factor. Ace strategist Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be the mentor with the team during the T20 World Cup, and it would have been a great opportunity for Sharma to learn the tricks from the maestro during the tournament.

Kohli’s greatness lies in the stats and his abilities are beyond doubts, but the timing of this announcement could have been better for sure.