Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli made several revelations surrounding his ODI and T20I captaincy in the pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test against South Africa. India will begin their South Africa tour with a three-match Test series starting from December 26 followed by three ODIs. Kohli said that he will lead the team in the Test series and is available for selection in the ODI series as well. The Indian team will be leaving for the Rainbow nation on December 16.
Following are the key answers Virat Kohli gave to the questions from the panel of journalists
On Quitting ODI Captaincy
“I was contacted one-and-a-half hour before selection for Tests. The chief selector discussed with me the Test. Before the call ended I was told that the 5 selectors have decided that I won’t be ODI captain anymore. There was no prior communication about this,” Virat Kohli said in the press conference.
On Availability For South Africa Series
“Well, I was and I am available for selection all this time. You should not be asking me this question honestly. This question should be asked to people who are writing about these things and their sources because as far as I am concerned I was always available. I have not had any communication with the BCCI to say that I want to rest,” Kohli said.
On His Relationship With Rohit Sharma
“Me and Rohit, I have said this before a lot of times that we don’t have any problems between us. Honestly, I have been regularly clarifying this for the last two-two and a half years and I am tired of clarifying this, this question is asked to me again and again. And I can guarantee one thing to you that as long as I am playing cricket, any action, or any communication will never be to pull down the team. This has always been my point of view from Indian cricket and it’s my commitment towards Indian cricket always,” Kohli said.
After Kohli’s comments, the Twitterverse criticised the BCCI and and its President Sourav Ganguly for unceremoniously removing Kohli as ODI captain. Not winning an ODI series remains the only blip in his otherwise stand-out record as Indian ODI captain. Kohli has won 65 out of his 95 games as India’s ODI captain maintaining a win percentage of over 70 percent.
Virat Kohli’s Steller Record As India’s ODI Skipper
A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝
Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021
Here’s what Twitter had to say on Virat Kohli’s comments
Now what you have to say @BCCI @SGanguly99 @JayShah
Stop this politics…You want ruin career of a great player like @imVkohli
But we are going to be with him no matter what ❤️ #KickOutShahGanguly #ShameOnBCCI #KingKohli https://t.co/83bCBpTovv— Manish Sharma (@Manish08071989) December 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/kingkohliera1/status/1471037179195387904?s=20
Sourav Ganguly – I personally requested Virat Kohli to not step down from T20i captaincy.
Virat Kohli – I wasn't told to not leave the T20i captaincy.
– Very poor from the BCCI and the president.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 15, 2021
https://twitter.com/kingkohliera1/status/1471037179195387904?s=20
Virat Kohli press conference ahead of the South Africa Test series. pic.twitter.com/OzCmQMwDhP
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 15, 2021
The lie lies somewhere right in the middle of truth! #indiancricket
— Arani Basu (@AraniBasuTOI) December 15, 2021
Virat Kohli. Entertainer, both on and off the field.
Has come out all guns blazing today, hope he does in SA too. The team & Indian Cricket fans needs it. It will also drown all the irrelevant chatter.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) December 15, 2021
We all owe an apology to #ViratKohli ! Honestly, we all do!
— Abhineet Mishra (@AbhineetMishraa) December 15, 2021
virat kohli in the press conf pic.twitter.com/cKZxmw9Gdd
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) December 15, 2021
To reiterate, the problem isn't with the journalists putting this info out. It's with the sources within BCCI leaking such stories and the president himself who it appears blatantly lied. Good on Kohli to clarify everything in one go.
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) December 15, 2021
Why can't people understand a simple thing ?
BCCI isn't Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly isn't BCCI— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) December 15, 2021
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