Virat Kohli accused of agreeing with 'crammed' NZ tour schedule by ex-BCCI CoA member

Diana Edulji, who was part of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) until last October, has lashed out at India skipper Virat Kohli for complaining about the timetable of the ongoing T20 series in New Zealand. Diana Edulji added that Virat Kohli was part of a group that gave the consent to the itinerary over two years ago.

ALSO READ | Rajeev Shukla backs Virat Kohli, slams BCCI for the Team India's hectic schedule

BCCI ex-CoA member Diana Edulji slams Virat Kohli

While speaking to a leading media network, Diana Edulji said that the Future Tours Programme (FTP) of the Indian team up to 2023 was approved by Virat Kohli, former captain MS Dhoni and head coach Ravi Shastri during a meeting at the Taj Mansingh Hotel in Delhi on November 30, 2017.

Diana Edulji said that Virat Kohli complaining about the same was definitely strange. She added that because Virat Kohli was playing so much of cricket, he forgot that he had given his consent for such a schedule. She went on to say that the BCCI didn’t force it on the players.

ALSO READ | BCCI Says 'no' To Wriddhiman Saha's Ranji Trophy Game Against Delhi

Diana Edulji said that the team knew that they would be landing in New Zealand three days before and it was written in the minutes of the meeting. She claimed that only after players gave their consent, the schedule was approved. She also said that they always made sure that players got what they wanted and their comfort was a top priority.

The CoA was dissolved on October 23 last year after the BCCI elections were held and new office-bearers took charge. According to Edulji, the FTP wasn’t drafted by the CoA but by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and cricket administration head Gaurav Saxena, who had presented it at the meeting. She said that before preparing the FTP, a chart of the schedule was given to the top players and the management for approval. 

ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri confirms comeback for 'not a natural keeper' Rishabh Pant won't be easy

New Zealand vs India: BCCI official slams Virat Kohli for scheduling comments

Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who has a lot of workload on him, recently came out and complained about India's tight schedule. Virat Kohli, ahead of the first T20I against New Zealand, said that the schedule was becoming extremely tight with every passing day, so much so that they might have to land the aircraft straight in the stadium. He also added that the difference in the time zones also adds to the problem. Because it takes time for the players to adjust to such changes.

ALSO READ | MS Dhoni will say ‘Thank you very much’ if he doesn’t feel good in IPL: Ravi Shastri

IMAGE COURTESY: VIRAT KOHLI INSTAGRAM