'Why Virat is not captain of Test team': Ex-India player

NEW DELHI: After India's significant loss to South Africa in the first Test, former Indian cricketer

Subramaniam Badrinath

raised questions about why star batter

Virat Kohli

isn't leading the team in the longer format, given his outstanding record. Badrinath also expressed doubts about

Rohit Sharma

being a proven opener in overseas conditions.
The recent defeat saw India losing the first Test of the two-match series against South Africa in just three days, succumbing by an innings and 32 runs. India's quest for a

Test series

victory in the challenging conditions of the African continent has remained unrealized since first tour to South Africa in 1992-93.

"Kohli has a great record as a Test leader. He has scored more than 5000 runs with an average of 52+ as a captain. He has 40 wins and 17 losses in 68 Tests. He led us to a tremendous victory in the Australia series. He has the most wins as Test captain after Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh," Subramaniam Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
In his captaincy tenure, Kohli has helmed India in 68 Tests, achieving 40 victories, enduring 17 defeats, and securing 11 draws. With a win percentage exceeding 58 percent, he has led India to notable series triumphs in Australia, as well as memorable Test and series wins in England, South Africa, West Indies, and Sri Lanka.

As a captain, Virat scored 5,608 runs in Tests at an average of 53.40, with 18 centuries and 18 fifties in 111 innings and the best score of 254*. Under his leadership, India was the number-one Test team for multiple years in a row.
"Why is he (Virat) not the captain of the Test team? I want to raise this valid question. He is a better Test batter. There is no comparison between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He is a big player in terms of Test cricket. He has scored runs everywhere. Why is he not leading and a weaker player? As far as I am concerned, a weaker player who is not yet proven as an opener. He has been in and out. We can consider all of that. But I think Rohit Sharma has not proven himself as an opener outside India. Why is he there?" Badrinath added.

Rohit has a fine Test record, having scored 3,682 runs in 53 Tests at an average of 45.45, with 10 centuries and 16 fifties in 90 innings.
But his record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and South Africa) nations, where India has been weak historically, is not very good. In 21 Tests across these countries, Rohit has scored 1,182 runs at an average of 30.30, with a century and six fifties in 42 innings.
(With ANI Inputs)