'Can't understand the reason for this' - Coach Rajkumar Sharma on Virat Kohli's absence from press conferences

Although India did lose the second of the three-match Test series in Johannesburg,  they were without the services of their regular Test captain Virat Kohli. The 32-year-old had to, unfortunately, miss the Test due to a back spasm.

However, his coach Rajkumar Sharma was surprised that he did not address the press conferences in both the Tests.  During a discussion on India News, Sharma was asked about the same and he said that he had no idea about Kohli's absence, while he felt that the BCCI might have made some changes in the rules.

"Can't understand the reason for this. I feel the BCCI might have made some new rules on who would be addressing or the media manager might have been given more powers, that he will decide if the captain will go or not. There must have been some reason why the captain was not seen before and after both the matches," said Rajkumar Sharma.

When asked if the decision was taken to save the Delhi batter from the press, Sharma felt that it wasn't about any of the captains. The former first-class cricketer felt that it was decided beforehand that the coach would be one to talk, and not the captain.

"If it was about Virat Kohli, then KL Rahul would have come in the second match. But KL also didn't come, which means some decision might have been taken that the coach will talk instead of the captain. Even if the coach comes, I don't think there is anything wrong in that. It is definitely surprising as it is a new thing because the captain used to come earlier but is not coming now," he said.