Sir — The skipper of the Indian men’s cricket team, Virat Kohli, recently announced that he will be stepping down as the captain of the shortest format of the game after the International Cricket Council’s Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to begin next month (“Kohli bows to ‘workload’ at top”, Sep 17). Speculation is rife about why Kohli has taken this decision, but most would agree that with a month to go for the World Cup, it is ill-timed.

We must admit that the cricket schedule has increasingly become more hectic with players expected to remain in top shape throughout the year. There is very little room for error and this has taken a heavy toll on cricketers. But Kohli stepping down as the captain of the Twenty20 team may just result in more complications. Reportedly, Rohit Sharma might replace Kohli as the captain. However, rumours indicate that all is not well between the two players. If it is true, then this may just lead to a clash of egos. This would not be good for the performance of the team. Nevertheless, we all hope that whoever may be the next captain of the T20 team will do his best to lead the Indian side to victory.

Ishan Anand,
Ujjain

Sir — While it may be true that Virat Kohli is one of the most successful T20 captains, he has lately been in poor shape. His captaincy in all three formats of the game has been questionable and the recent cancellation of the final Test match against England was a disaster. It is a testament to his irresponsibility that he chose to attend the launch of Ravi Shastri’s book — a crowded event — in the midst of the pandemic, knowing full well his responsibilities to the team and the country he represents. Thus his departure as the T20 captain does not come as a surprise.

Rumours have been floating around the internet that Rohit Sharma could be crowned the next skipper of the Indian T20 men’s team. We are hoping for an early announcement but it is likely to come only after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, which would mark the end of Kohli’s T20 captaincy.

Kohli might have stepped down from leading the T20 team, but he still remains the captain for Test matches and one-day internationals. As fans, we do hope that the Indian team, under Kohli’s leadership, excels in the upcoming matches and brings home the T20 World Cup as well as the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy.

M. Srikanth,
Chennai

Miserable situation

Sir — Thailand’s strict Covid-19 restrictions have drastically reduced the number of taxis plying on the streets, leaving many without a source of income. But rather than letting the taxis sit idle, miniature gardens have been assembled on the hoods of the vehicles. The drivers as well as the fleet owners are hoping that the eye-catching installations will compel the government to take note of their plight and ease their burden. If not, the vegetables being grown can help feed their families. It is truly unfortunate that governments continue to be blind to the needs of the people.

Suchitra Ramanujan,
Chennai

Eat right

Sir — It is crucial that we are aware of the ingredients going into any packaged food that we consume and make informed choices (“Bitter taste”, Sep 17). Packaged food has not only led to the younger generation abandoning local cuisines, but also home-cooked food in general, which has contributed to a massive spike in non-communicable diseases. Food, heavily laden with sugar, monosodium glutamate, saturated fat and trans fat, is responsible for heart ailments, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver among other things. It is the responsibility of the manufacturers to at least be transparent about what they put in their products.

If we are to remain healthy, we must cut out processed food as much as possible. India is blessed with a fantastic range of locally available fruits, vegetables and grains. As such, each region has a unique and diverse cuisine that can cater to everyone, irrespective of dietary restrictions. We must adopt a clean and balanced diet for our well-being.

H.N. Ramakrishna,
Bangalore