“Players know the captain will never humiliate them publicly ” - Nikhil Chopra hails Rohit Sharma for openly backing Virat Kohli

Former India cricketer Nikhil Chopra has praised white-ball captain Rohit Sharma for openly coming out in support of his predecessor Virat Kohli.

At a press conference on Tuesday, ahead of the T20I series against West Indies, Rohit was asked for his views on Kohli’s form. Taking a dig at the media, the skipper responded that if they keep quiet for a while, he'll be alright.

Hailing the Indian captain for launching a staunch defense of Kohli, Chopra said on the Khelneeti podcast:

“I was really happy to see a captain backing his former skipper openly. He made it clear that Virat Kohli is a champion player and is one innings away from returning to match-winning form. It shows that Rohit wants to keep the team united in the build up to the T20 World Cup.”

According to the former off-spinner, Rohit’s stance sends a great message to the dressing room. He elaborated:

“I had said earlier as well that Rohit is the right candidate for captaincy because he has earned the respect of the dressing room. Everyone knows that the captain will back them even if they are not able to perform a specific role given to them. Players know the captain will never humiliate them publicly and keep backing them completely.”

Kohli had a poor run in the three-match ODI series against West Indies, registering scores of 8, 18 and 0.

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“It might be affecting him a little bit” - Nikhil Chopra on impact of empty stadium on Virat Kohli

During a discussion on the former captain’s batting form, Chopra was asked if playing in front of empty stands was affecting Kohli’s concentration.

Responding to the query, the former cricketer made an interesting observation and said:

“I am not saying that it is happening with Kohli. But when a player receives appreciation for hitting fours and sixes, he feeds off that energy. In empty stadiums, your concentration might be affected as there is no reaction to big hits. We know a lot of players who take strength from crowd’s energy. Maybe, it might be affecting him a little bit.”

The India-West Indies ODI series was played behind closed doors. The first T20I will also be played without crowds in Kolkata, even as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has requested the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow spectators for the last two games.