Virat Kohli refutes Sourav Ganguly’s claim that he was ‘asked not to give up T20I captaincy’. Cricket News – Times of India

New Delhi/Mumbai: There were whispers of discord and there was a tense tension between the two on Wednesday BCCI and test captain Virat Kohli Was out in the open when the superstar batsman tried to persuade him against giving up the T20 leadership, which the board claims as “wrong”.
One of the most decorated cricketers the country has ever produced, Kohli also said that his removal as ODI captain was informed by chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma earlier this month, announcing the Test squad for South Africa. only one hour before.
His statement forced the BCCI to close the ranks in a rare chapter in the history of Indian cricket where a high-profile captain publicly dismissed the board president Sourav GangulyHas a statement that the body had “requested” him not to step down as T20 captain.
Till the time of this report, the BCCI, which had thought of the chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma addressing the media to respond to the statement, has not come out with its version.
Kohli told a press conference ahead of the tough tour of South Africa that no requests were made to anyone on the board after announcing his intention to step down from the T20I captaincy.

Kohli made a clear reference to Ganguly’s statement, saying, “Whatever was said about the communication was wrong about the decision.”
He said, ‘When I left the captaincy of T20, I first approached BCCI and informed them about my decision and put my point before them.
He said, “I gave the reason for leaving the T20 captaincy and my view was very well received. There was no offence, no hesitation and not even once was told ‘you should not give up the T20 captaincy’ needed.”
As far as the ODI captaincy is concerned, Kohli said that he had spoken to him on the day the Test team was to be selected for South Africa.
“I was contacted an hour and a half before the selection meeting on 8th for the Test series and since the time I announced my decision on T20 captaincy, there was no prior communication from me,” he added.
“… the chief selector discussed the Test squad, which we both agreed upon. Before concluding the call, I was told that the five selectors had decided that I would not be the ODI captain, to which I replied ‘Okay’ ‘.
“After the selection call, we talked about it briefly and this is what happened,” he said.
But then on 16 September, it was the captain himself who made an official statement that he wanted to continue as the ODI captain and focus on the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Kohli said that the top BCCI officials termed his decision as progressive.

“On the contrary, the BCCI called it a progressive step and in the right direction. At that time I had said that yes I would like to continue in Tests and ODIs unless the office-bearers and selectors think that I should not go ahead. with responsibility.
“I had clarified on my call and the communication to BCCI was clear. I had given that option. If the office-bearers and selectors think otherwise, it is in their hands (their call).
The last Indian captain who put the entire BCCI on ‘red alert’ was Ganguly himself in 2005 after his bitter feud with the then coach Greg Chappell. Ganguly was dropped by the then bigwigs in 2005 after winning the Test series in Zimbabwe.
He famously said that he was asked to step down by taking Indian cricket by storm.
The drama coincided with the removal of the late Jagmohan Dalmiya as board president, and politics was at its tumultuous days during those prime times of 2004 and 2005.

To say or not to say is the question of BCCI
It is understood that President Ganguly is outright displeased but as the head of the board wants a collective decision as to how the issue should be dealt with officially.
“It’s a difficult one for BCCI. If BCCI issues statement, the board is calling their captain a liar. If they don’t issue statement, what the president said on record seems to be half-truth. Kohli’s statement Certainly there has been a loss to the BCCI, but it has happened because of lack of communication.”
If BCCI’s version is to be believed, a bigwig claimed that no less than nine people were involved when Kohli was asked whether it was a wise decision to step down from the T20 captaincy.
The veteran player, aware of the developments said, “The nine people include five selectors – Chetan Sharma, Abhay Kuruvilla, Sunil Joshi, Debashish Mohanty and Haru Singh, president Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah, captain Kohli and captain-in-waiting Rohit Sharma.” , said.
However, what has come to the fore is the lack of communication between the captain and the board where there is no clarity on what actually happened.
Moreover, the one line Twitter statement about Rohit’s upgrade as the white-ball captain without the mention of Kohli was certainly lacking in grace.
The captain suffered a major injury and this was evident when he ruled out not playing the ODI in South Africa as speculated in some media reports.

Kohli said at the start of the press, “I was and I am available for selection all the time. I never asked BCCI for rest. I am available for the ODI series in South Africa, and was always available.”
He said, ‘People who tell lies should be asked this. My communication with BCCI on this issue has not happened that I want to take rest.
He termed Rohit Sharma as “an able and deftly skilled captain” who will have his “100 per cent support” in whatever approach he has for the team.
Just before a crucial away Test series, this kind of controversy was the last thing one could wish for.
A sitting captain taking over the establishment doesn’t always end on a happy note and it may be just the beginning rather than the end of it all.