I Can Understand Why I Was Removed As ODI Captain: Here Are The Important Things That Came To Light From Virat Kohli’s Press Conference

By WEB DESK Last updated Dec 16, 2021

Indian Test captain Virat Kohli’s virtual press conference on Wednesday has caused quite a stir. Not mincing any words, Virat firmly made it clear that he had not been asked to reconsider his decision to step down as India T20I captain by the BCCI.

Virat Kohli Dismisses Sourav Ganguly’s Statement That He Had Requested Virat To Not Step Down As The T20 Captain:

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has dismissed Sourav Ganguly’s statement wherein the Board President mentioned that he had personally requested Virat Kohli to not step down as the T20 captain. Notably, Indian cricket has been witnessing a lot of drama over the last couple of months as far as the captaincy roles are concerned.

Virat also put an end to all the speculation about his availability for the ODI series in South Africa and his alleged rift with new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma.

Sourav Ganguly’s statements don’t add up!

Would the BCCI president lie? It’s a question that not many would have wondered about until Kohli squashed all statements made by the former Indian skipper and current BCCI president in an interview with News18 a few days back.

“It’s like I said… I personally requested him (Kohli) not to give up T20 captaincy. Obviously, he felt the workload. Which is fine, he has been a great cricketer, he has been very intense with his cricket. He has captained for a long period of time and these things happen. Because I have captained for a long period of time; therefore, I know. Also, they wanted only one white-ball captain,” Ganguly had told News18.

When asked why one white ball captain is important when there are different formats of the game, Ganguly said: “A good team does not have too many leaders. That’s probably the reason and that’s what it is.”

Kohli put an end to that with his comment that “no one had asked me to not leave T20I captaincy”.

Here Are The Top Things That Came To Light From Virat Kohli’s Press Conference:

(1) “When I left the T20 captaincy, I had first approached BCCI and intimated them of my decision and laid down my point of view in front of them (office bearers). I gave the reasons why I wanted to quit T20 captaincy and my viewpoint was received very nicely. There was no offence, no hesitation and not for once was I told that ‘you should not leave T20 captaincy’,” Kohli said, in complete contradiction to what Sourav Ganguly had stated earlier that the Board requested him not to quit.”

(2) Whatever was said about the communication that happened about the decision that was made was inaccurate,” Kohli said with obvious reference to Ganguly’s statement.

(3) “I was contacted one and half hours before the selection meeting on 8th for the Test series and there was no prior communication to me at all since I announced my decision on T20 captaincy. The chief selector discussed the Test team to which we both agreed. Before ending the call, I was told that the five selectors have decided that I will not be the ODI captain to which I replied ‘okay fine’.”

(4) “I can understand why (he was removed as ODI captain)- the reason – we haven’t won an ICC tournament. Whether the decision they took is right or wrong, there’s no debate. It’s a logical decision which I understand. The events that transpired and the way I was communicated (things), I’ve told you.”

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(5) “I was and I am available for selection all the time. I never communicated with the BCCI asking for rest. I am available for the ODI series in South Africa, and was always available,” Kohli said during the pre-departure press conference before the tour of South Africa.

(6) “There is no rift between me and Rohit Sharma. I have clarified multiple times in the last 2.5 years and now I am tired of clarifying things. I can guarantee you that my communication will never be to take my team down till I am playing cricket. It is my commitment towards Indian cricket,” said Kohli.

(7) “My responsibility is obviously to push the team in the right direction, something that I’ve always looked to do even before I became captain, so that mindset has never changed and it will never change,” Kohli on his role under Rohit’s captaincy.

(8) “Rohit is a very able captain and tactically very sound. We’ve seen that in the games that he has captained for India and in the IPL as well. So is (Rahul) Dravid bhai, who’s a very, very balanced coach, great man manager.”

(9) “Both of them (Rohit and Dravid) will have my absolute support and my contribution in whatever vision they set for the team and I will be there to support that 100 percent and continue to be a guy who can push the team in the right direction going forward from here.”

(10) “South Africa is one place where we have not won a series yet. So we are very motivated to do that. And the mindset is always to go there and win a series in any country that we play.”

Sunil Gavaskar reacts to Kohli’s remarks in presser, says BCCI chief Ganguly should be asked about discrepancy

After Virat Kohli openly contradicted Sourav Ganguly’s remarks about the former skipper’s decision to step down as India’s captain in T20I cricket on Wednesday, legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar believes the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president will be the ideal person who can address the discrepancy between the two statements. Gearing up for India’s high-profile series in the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship, skipper Kohli delivered an explosive press conference before Team India’s departure for South Africa.

Taking cognisance of Kohli’s remarks in his fiery pre-departure press conference ahead of the South Africa tour, batting legend Gavaskar opined that Ganguly should be asked why there is a discrepancy in the statements of the BCCI president and Indian Test skipper. “I think it (Kohli’s comments) actually doesn’t bring the BCCI into the picture. I think it’s the individual who has to be asked where he got the impression he had conveyed such a message to Kohli. So that’s the only thing,” Gavaskar told India Today.

Gavaskar’s remarks have come after Kohli responded to every tough question head-on during the recently concluded press conference. “Yes, he is the BCCI president and surely he should be asked why there is this discrepancy. He is probably the best person to ask about the discrepancy in what you seem to have to say and what the Indian captain has said,” Gavaskar added.

India’s Tour Of South Africa To Commence On December 26

India Tour of South Africa 2021-22: Virat Kohli-Led India Leave For Johannesburg After Quarantine in Mumbai

A day after Virat Kohli’s explosive press conference, the Indian team left for Johannesburg on Thursday (December 16) morning from Mumbai. The Indian board shared a few pictures of the Indian players from inside the flight. In the pictures shared by the BCCI, the players looked happy and in a good space. The Kohli-led outfit will play their eighth series in South Africa and would be looking to win it this time.

BCCI shared four pictures where you can see Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Agarwal, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Umesh Yadav. Kohli’s picture is not there.