The BCCI selectors have picked Virat Kohli as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s deputy for the next tournament (Asia Cup) and put him on a futuristic highway. If he drives well, he could well lead the Indian team someday, writes The Times Of India. “His knock has pulled the team out of depression, given skipper MS Dhoni and rest of the seniors the much needed relief and diverted everyone’s attention from the controversial spat between Dhoni and Sehwag that had taken centrestage. If the BCCI was looking for a twist in the tale, Kohli gave them just the perfect face-saving script by playing that fantastic innings against Sri Lanka. The vice-captain’s role is a good reward, considering that seniors like Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina, who have led the ODI team in the past, are part of the squad,” adds the national daily.
"The selection committee and board feel that Virat Kohli could be good future captaincy material," K Srikkanth said on Wednesday. "It was a stunning victory and what a knock by Kohli!" the chief selector exclaimed.
Meanwhile Virat Kohli’s coach Rajkumar Sharma believes this to be a good opportunity to groom Kohli for possible Indian captaincy. “It’ll be a great for him to learn some tricks of the trade from ‘Captain Cool’ (MS) Dhoni.”
Kohli’s coach has seen his ward mature through the years. “Virat is one guy who was always confident about his abilities. The aggression in his attitude stemmed from his immense talent. The one challenge for him is to keep his overconfidence under check,” writes TOI.
Meanwhile, Indian Express writes that future isn’t what it used to be. “Two years ago, the trio of Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina were considered to be the gen next with all three in equally good form, but fast forward two years from the chill of Bulawayo to the chill of Hobart, and their respective worlds seem to settled into three vastly different orbits. Since then, on the back of a truly great ODI knock on Tuesday, Kohli has become wealthier by seven centuries to take his overall figure to nine. Raina and Rohit, their hundreds column haven’t budged a collective inch. Also, Kohli is now a permanent member of India’s Test side - validating his position with the only century on this tour during the Adelaide Test — while Rohit is yet to make his longer-format debut into his 25th year.”
Meanwhile, Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda on Wednesday expressed delight after being named in India's 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament in Dhaka and hoped to cement his place in the national cricket team, says a report in The Tribune.
Having being in and out of the Indian team with five one-dayers and three T20 Internationals under his belt, Dinda said though it was great to be back, he has a long way to go. "It feels great to be back... but it does not end here. I hope to get an opportunity (in the playing XI) and cement a place with a good show," said Dinda on the sidelines of Bengal-Assam match of the East Zone leg of the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Eden Gardens.
Coming to South Africa Vs New Zealand ODI, South Africa trounced New Zealand by eight wickets on Wednesday, led by a Morne Morkel five-wicket haul and 92 runs from Hashim Amla, to seal victory in their One-Day series with a game to spare.