Former national selector Sanjay Jagdale on Monday recalled that when Virat Kohli, India's most successful Test captain, was first selected for the national squad, some people had raised questions.
Kohli, who announced his retirement from the Test format earlier in the day, was first inducted into the Indian ODI team at the recommendation of then chairman of the national selection committee, Dilip Vengsarkar, he said.
Kohli made his international debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka on August 18, 2008.
"I still remember that Kohli had greatly impressed Dilip Vengsarkar with a century he scored in the Emerging Players Tournament held in Australia. Vengsarkar was the head of the five-member national selection committee at the time," Jagdale told PTI in Indore, "Vengsarkar praised Kohli to me, saying, 'This boy is a fine batsman.' Although I hadn't seen Kohli play then, based on Vengsarkar's recommendation, all the selectors unanimously agreed to include him in the national team," he added.
Jagdale said that Kohli had talent, confidence and aggressive attitude from the very beginning.
"When we included Kohli in the Indian team, some people criticized us, saying how could we send such a young player on the Sri Lanka tour. But no one remembers those critics today," he said.
Kohli is one of the greatest Indian batsmen in all three formats of the game after Sachin Tendulkar, Jagdale further said.
"Kohli's decision to retire from Test cricket should be respected, but the gap he leaves behind will not be easily filled," said the former BCCI secretary.
