Sourav Ganguly claims he didn’t know Virat Kohli was quitting Test captaincy
Ganguly revealed that the (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure.
Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice to step down following the South Africa series in 2022.
Fans have been actively campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement as the Test captain, highlighting his remarkable record as captain on social media. During his tenure, Kohli secured the fourth-highest number of victories for an Indian Test captain, with an impressive 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches. His win percentage of 50% places him third among all 28 Test captains who have led their teams in 40 or more matches.
In an exclusive interview with Indian news channel Aaj Tak, Ganguly acknowledged the fans' support for Kohli but emphasised that only Kohli himself could provide the reasons behind his decision to step down. Ganguly stated that dwelling on the matter now serves no purpose as the selectors had to appoint a new captain, and Rohit Sharma was deemed the best option at that time.
"BCCI was not prepared for Virat Kohli leaving the Test captaincy. It was unexpected for us also after the South Africa tour. Only Virat Kohli can reveal why he left the captaincy. There is no point talking about this now because Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy. Selectors had to appoint an India captain. And Rohit was the best option at that time," Ganguly said.
However, Kohli had said something in a completely different note. The RCB Captain had said, “There was no prior communication to me at all from when I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the eighth (of December) where, as I said, I got a call one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting," hinting at a clear rift between him and the board.
Virat Kohli's captaincy stint in Test cricket was highly successful, guiding India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved several milestones, and Kohli became the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history at the time of his departure.
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Summary - Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the board was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice after the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement, citing his impressive record as captain, including 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches.