N Srinivasan thwarted plan to replace skipper Dhoni with Kohli in 2012, says former selector

According to a column written by former selector Raja Venkat, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on the verge of losing his ODI captaincy to Virat Kohli three years ago. However, a timely intervention from then BCCI President N Srinivasan reportedly saved the day for India's World Cup winning captain, overruling an 'unanimous' decision by the then selection committee.

Incidentally, midway through the Australia tour this year, Dhoni retired from Test cricket, paving the way for Virat Kohli to become Test captain. However, MSD still retains the mantle of captaincy in the limited over formats. 

Three years after the episode, Raja Venkat, a former first-class cricketer and national selector (East Zone:2008-2012), stated in detail in the Bengali tabloid Ebela about the events that unfolded which led to Dhoni keeping his position as ODI skipper.

Venkat revealed that during the four-Test series in Australia (2011-12), selectors felt that the team was a divided unit with the morale shockingly low which prompted them to look for a change of guard.

Venkat adds that Mohinder Amarnath and Narendra Hirwani (North Zone and Central Zone selectors respectively) after accompanying the team in Australia, reported the rifts to the committee. 

Young Virat Kohli was the choice of the selectors (as he was reportedly not part of any 'faction') and the selectors were pleased with his captaincy leading the North Zone  in the Deodhar trophy in 2010-11. Also, Kohli's good performance as captain of India's Under-19 team was taken into consideration, added Venkat.

Apart from the disastrous 2012 tour of Australia (where they lost 4-0) India also lost all four Tests in England, which had led to the selectors meeting and passing the 'unanimous decision' to sack Dhoni. 

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Venkat further said that Amarnath tore into Dhoni’s 'negative captaincy' and wanted him out of the role. Amarnath has confirmed Venkat’s version to The Indian Express but has refused to further elaborate on it.

Venkat further stated that after the 'unanimous decision' to bring in a new captain (Virat) was taken, the selectors met to pick the squad for the ODI leg of the Australia tour, but because of BCCI's constitution, they were unable to announce the team for the overseas series without the President's approval. 

Srinivasan who came to know about the selector's decision during a round of golf, reportedly asked the then BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale (who convened the meeting), to put the announcement 'on hold'. The president is said to have later barged into the meeting room and conveyed to the selectors that Dhoni was to remain as skipper. He also refused to sign a team-sheet which named Kohli as captain. 

Of course, the selectors had to then backtrack to avoid a 'potential crisis'. Probably not coincidentally, Amarnath was later dismissed for his stance against Dhoni. Jagdale (who quit as BCCI secretary post the 2013 IPL match-fixing saga), has chosen to remain quiet on the issue.

Venkat signed off by saying that the selectors' decision was 'vindicated' and accused Srinivasan of playing spoilsport in their plan to name Virat as skipper, which according to him, would have been 'for the good of Indian cricket'.