India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.

Sources close to the development have already confirmed that members of the All-India Senior Selection Committee are set to conduct a meeting to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies on Wednesday. Prior to it,&nbsp;a&nbsp;fitness test was scheduled for Rohit in the afternoon and Hitman has cleared the test with flying colours. As per the latest developments, the 34-year-old is set to return back to the Indian team and lead the national side in the upcoming three ODIs and equal number of T20Is versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies, starting on February 6 in Ahmedabad.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-central-contracts-test-specialists-cheteshwar-pujara-ajinkya-rahane-likely-face-demotion-report-447737">BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report</a>

According to the PTI, Rohit is also set to be announced the next Test captain. On January 15, Virat Kohli had stepped down as the Indian Test captain, only a day after India lost the three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the rainbow nation. Hence, Rohit is being touted to be the next red-ball captain and take over captaincy duties altogether for Team India.&nbsp;

KL Rahul is expected to remain Rohit's deputy across all formats. On the other hand, the selectors are expected to rest ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah for the West Indies series. The WI series will be followed by Sri Lanka's tour of India, comprising two Tests and three T20Is.

India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs.

India's limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has cleared the fitness test held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Wednesday (January 26). Rohit, who was named the white-ball captain in early December, 2021, had missed the entire South Africa series due to hamstring injury, where India lost the three Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding ODIs. Sources close to the development have already confirmed that members of the All-India Senior Selection Committee are set to conduct a meeting to announce the Indian squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies on Wednesday. Prior to it, a fitness test was scheduled for Rohit in the afternoon and Hitman has cleared the test with flying colours. As per the latest developments, the 34-year-old is set to return back to the Indian team and lead the national side in the upcoming three ODIs and equal number of T20Is versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies, starting on February 6 in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report According to the PTI, Rohit is also set to be announced the next Test captain. On January 15, Virat Kohli had stepped down as the Indian Test captain, only a day after India lost the three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the rainbow nation. Hence, Rohit is being touted to be the next red-ball captain and take over captaincy duties altogether for Team India. KL Rahul is expected to remain Rohit's deputy across all formats. On the other hand, the selectors are expected to rest ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah for the West Indies series. The WI series will be followed by Sri Lanka's tour of India, comprising two Tests and three T20Is.

Good news for Team India fans! Rohit Sharma clears fitness test ahead of West Indies series: Report

Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format. Pujara's last Test ton came in early 2019 whereas the former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has not been able to score a hundred following his heroics in the MCG Test between India and Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Rahane's 112 in the MCG Test remains his last Test century and, thus, the right-hander also lost the vice-captaincy post recently.&nbsp;Both Rahane and Pujara were offered a Grade A contract by BCCI in 2021, with a&nbsp;salary of Rs 5 crore each (INR 50 millions).

As per The&nbsp;Times of India, the two will be demoted to Grade B due to their low returns with the bat. The players in Grade B have a salary of Rs 3 crore each (INR 30 millions). In addition, as per the report, veteran pacers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav are also likely to be dropped in the contract list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-hints-at-change-of-template-for-team-india-in-white-ball-cricket-post-south-africa-odis-447382">Rahul Dravid hints at change of template for Team India in white-ball cricket post South Africa ODIs</a>

On the other hand, the likes of KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will not be promoted&nbsp;in the central contract list, the report further adds. While the two players feature in all forms of the game for Team India, they were likely to get a promotion to Grade A+ category. However, the report suggests that it may not happen so soon for them.

The Grade A+ category comprises three players, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and speedster Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from the contract list, the Indian team for the forthcoming limited-overs series versus West Indies is also set to be announced very soon.

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, India will now gear up to host West Indies and Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition.

Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format.

Senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are set to be demoted in BCCI's central contract list. The two senior players have been under the radar for quite sometime, owing to their poor scores in the red-ball format. Pujara's last Test ton came in early 2019 whereas the former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has not been able to score a hundred following his heroics in the MCG Test between India and Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahane's 112 in the MCG Test remains his last Test century and, thus, the right-hander also lost the vice-captaincy post recently. Both Rahane and Pujara were offered a Grade A contract by BCCI in 2021, with a salary of Rs 5 crore each (INR 50 millions). As per The Times of India, the two will be demoted to Grade B due to their low returns with the bat. The players in Grade B have a salary of Rs 3 crore each (INR 30 millions). In addition, as per the report, veteran pacers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav are also likely to be dropped in the contract list. ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid hints at change of template for Team India in white-ball cricket post South Africa ODIs On the other hand, the likes of KL Rahul and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will not be promoted in the central contract list, the report further adds. While the two players feature in all forms of the game for Team India, they were likely to get a promotion to Grade A+ category. However, the report suggests that it may not happen so soon for them. The Grade A+ category comprises three players, such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and speedster Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from the contract list, the Indian team for the forthcoming limited-overs series versus West Indies is also set to be announced very soon. After the disastrous tour of South Africa, India will now gear up to host West Indies and Sri Lanka before the action moves to the IPL 2022 edition.

BCCI central contracts: Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane likely face demotion - Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is making all possible efforts to stage the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India itself. However, the Indian cricket board remains open to the idea of shifting the tournament overseas in case the COVID-19 situation in the country worsens.

While UAE is reportedly not being considered as an option due to the extensive dew factor during the month of April, South Africa is one of the strongest contenders to host the tournament if it is moved out of India. As per a report in Cricbuzz, Cricket South Africa (CSA) is currently in talks with the BCCI and has presented a proposal stating that it will be a cheaper option to stage a tournament in the country.

As per the report, Cricket South Africa has presented a lucrative offer to the BCCI in a bid to stage the tournament in the country. CSA has told BCCI that hotels in South Africa will be significantly cheaper than UAE for the ten teams while also insisting that there would be less air travel which will further cut down the expenses of the franchises.

Cricket South Africa has planned to stage the entire tournament in four stadiums which are centred around capital city Johannesburg, where all ten teams can have their bio-bubbles. The matches can be played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Centurion Park in Pretoria, Willowmoore Park in Benoni and Senwes Cricket Stadium in Potchefstroom which are all within driving distance to each other.

Apart from the four stadiums around Johannesburg, the CSA is also ready to offer to host some matches at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town and the Boland Park in Paarl where India recently played the three-match Test series and three ODIs against the Proteas.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-is-a-rift-in-indian-team-virat-kohli-didnt-quit-test-captaincy-because-he-wanted-to-shoaib-akhtar-447351">There is a rift in Indian team, Virat Kohli didn't quit Test captaincy because he wanted to: Shoaib Akhtar</a>

The teams can then also have their bio-bubbles in Cape Town. The CSA is aware of the fact that IPL 2022 will involve ten teams and thus is ready to offer more venues to the BCCI. The next edition of the tournament is expected to begin in the last week of March.

BCCI has limited time to come to conclusion on the venue of the next edition of the tournament. The board is expected to finalise the venue by February 20 and has been reportedly informed that South Africa, which was one of the first countries to report the Omicron varint of COVID-19, has seen the number of virus cases go down in the last few weeks.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is making all possible efforts to stage the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India itself.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is making all possible efforts to stage the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India itself. However, the Indian cricket board remains open to the idea of shifting the tournament overseas in case the COVID-19 situation in the country worsens. While UAE is reportedly not being considered as an option due to the extensive dew factor during the month of April, South Africa is one of the strongest contenders to host the tournament if it is moved out of India. As per a report in Cricbuzz, Cricket South Africa (CSA) is currently in talks with the BCCI and has presented a proposal stating that it will be a cheaper option to stage a tournament in the country. As per the report, Cricket South Africa has presented a lucrative offer to the BCCI in a bid to stage the tournament in the country. CSA has told BCCI that hotels in South Africa will be significantly cheaper than UAE for the ten teams while also insisting that there would be less air travel which will further cut down the expenses of the franchises. Cricket South Africa has planned to stage the entire tournament in four stadiums which are centred around capital city Johannesburg, where all ten teams can have their bio-bubbles. The matches can be played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Centurion Park in Pretoria, Willowmoore Park in Benoni and Senwes Cricket Stadium in Potchefstroom which are all within driving distance to each other. Apart from the four stadiums around Johannesburg, the CSA is also ready to offer to host some matches at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town and the Boland Park in Paarl where India recently played the three-match Test series and three ODIs against the Proteas. Also Read: There is a rift in Indian team, Virat Kohli didn't quit Test captaincy because he wanted to: Shoaib Akhtar The teams can then also have their bio-bubbles in Cape Town. The CSA is aware of the fact that IPL 2022 will involve ten teams and thus is ready to offer more venues to the BCCI. The next edition of the tournament is expected to begin in the last week of March. BCCI has limited time to come to conclusion on the venue of the next edition of the tournament. The board is expected to finalise the venue by February 20 and has been reportedly informed that South Africa, which was one of the first countries to report the Omicron varint of COVID-19, has seen the number of virus cases go down in the last few weeks.

Cheaper hotels, minimum air-travel: South Africa makes lucrative offer to BCCI in a bid to host IPL 2022

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. 
 
The three ODIs will now be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and three T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. 
 
The decision to limit the series to two venues instead of six as originally announced has been done to mitigate bio-security risks by cutting down on travel and movement of the teams, match officials, broadcasters, and other stakeholders. 
 
Revised schedule: 
 
1st ODI: February 6, Ahmedabad 
 
2nd ODI: February 9, Ahmedabad 
 
3rd ODI: February 11, Ahmedabad 
 
1st T20I: February 16, Kolkata 
 
2nd T20I: February 18, Kolkata 
 
3rd T20I: February 20, Kolkata 
 
--IANS 
 
cs/bsk 
&nbsp;

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a change in venues for the upcoming West Indies Tour of India. The West Indies will arrive here for a white-ball series comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. The three ODIs will now be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and three T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The decision to limit the series to two venues instead of six as originally announced has been done to mitigate bio-security risks by cutting down on travel and movement of the teams, match officials, broadcasters, and other stakeholders. Revised schedule: 1st ODI: February 6, Ahmedabad 2nd ODI: February 9, Ahmedabad 3rd ODI: February 11, Ahmedabad 1st T20I: February 16, Kolkata 2nd T20I: February 18, Kolkata 3rd T20I: February 20, Kolkata --IANS cs/bsk

BCCI revises schedule for India's home series against West Indies, ODIs shifted to Ahmedabad

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months.&nbsp;In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE.

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🇮🇳 ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/Ds7okjhj9J">pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1438478585518456832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After India's colossal failure in the showpiece event, a lot of changes were expected. However, none of the connoisseurs of the game would have foreseen the plethora of changes that came into picture since then.&nbsp;

While Rohit Sharma succeeded Kohli as the T20I captain, being rewarded for his envious record as IPL captain, the latter remained the ODI and Test captain (he himself wanted to carry on as skipper in the longer formats as per his T20I captaincy resignation tweet). Nonetheless, a twist in the tale unfolded just before India boarded the flight for the ongoing South Africa trip.&nbsp;

Last year on December 8, BCCI announced Rohit as the limited-overs captain altogether, sacking Kohli from the top job in the 50-over format. The announcement was made courtesy a two-line Twitter post from the board's official handle:

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The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI &amp; T20I teams going forward.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/hcg92sPtCa">pic.twitter.com/hcg92sPtCa</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1468577752953483264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A thank you post for outgoing captain Kohli followed a day later, i.e. on December 9.&nbsp;

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A leader who led the side with grit, passion &amp; determination. 🇮🇳🔝 
 
Thank you Captain <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a>!👏👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/gz7r6KCuWF">pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1468919777120829441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The lack of prior communication -- in terms of a proper official statement by the BCCI -- and the late Twitter post irked many Indian cricket fans, who&nbsp;remained baffled with the sudden turn of events. What was cooking?&nbsp;

All eyes, thus, shifted to BCCI's customary press conference before Team India's departure for the rainbow nation. On December 15, Kohli spearheaded the presser and dropped few more bombs with his answers in an affirmative tone.&nbsp;

While BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had already conveyed that the board officials and national selectors had requested Kohli to remain the T20I captain,&nbsp;the star Indian batter contradicted from the claims. "I had told BCCI that I want to quit T20I captaincy. I wasn't told to reconsider it. It was received well, without any hesitation; I was told it's a progressive step and it's in the right direction. I had told them that I want to continue ODI and Test captaincy unless the office bearers think otherwise. I had given that option to them," Kohli had stated.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-ganguly-wanted-to-issue-showcause-notice-to-kohli-following-his-explosive-presser-report-446249">BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report</a>

In addition, Kohli made it clear that he had no prior communication with the national selectors regarding the ODI captaincy switch. He revealed that he came to know about the decision only 90 minutes prior to the official announcement.&nbsp;

Thus, this opened a pandora of box. Kohli's explosive presser exposed the dire straits between the board, selectors and the superstar cricketer.

In response to the presser, Ganguly made it clear that the board will not make any official statement due to ongoing&nbsp;SA tour. "No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly told local mediapersons after the presser.

Nonetheless, chief selector Chetan Sharma made heads turn, stating that Kohli was asked by officials and selectors to remain T20I captain.&nbsp; "When meeting started, it was a surprise for everybody. If the World T20 is round the corner and you hear something like this, what will be your reaction? Everyone present in that meeting had told him that he should rethink his decision (to quit T20 captaincy) and we can talk about it after the World Cup. All selectors felt at that time that this can affect us in the World Cup. It was told to Virat for sake of Indian cricket, please continue as the captain and it was told by everybody present in the meeting. The convenors were there, board officials were there. Sabhi ne bola hai (everyone told him). Who won’t tell? If this news comes to you, you are in a shock. But since we had a World T20 to play, we never wanted it to affect team," the former India pacer told on December 31.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-match-makes-virat-kohli-turned-down-bccis-offer-to-play-farewell-test-as-captain-report-445316">'One match makes...': Virat Kohli turned down BCCI's offer to play farewell Test as captain - Report</a>

When the Indian cricket fans were busy trying to make sense of the mysterious turn of events, Kohli dropped another bomb -- probably throwing his last roll of the&nbsp;dice&nbsp;-- by announcing his resignation as the Test captain post India's 2-1 series loss to SA in the African nation.&nbsp;

On January 15, Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/huBL6zZ7fZ">pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1482340422987169794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Following Kohli's resignation, ending his Team India captaincy tenure altogether, many reactions came in a flash. Needless to say, Ganguly's response was most awaited. Few hours after Kohli's announcement, Ganguly wrote, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli."

A battle with no winner but plenty of losers!

So far, there is total chaos surrounding Indian cricket. It reminds the 90s fans of the infamous Greg Chappell-era.&nbsp;

As an Indian cricket loyalist, the cracks became evident on the day BCCI made the ODI captaincy switch. The lack of communication and late tribute for Kohli -- yes, even a timely Twitter post for some big announcements means a lot in the social media-era -- triggered the collapse.&nbsp;

Ganguly statement prior to Kohli's presser was entirely uncalled for (similarly, the latter's T20I captaincy resignation announcement can also be termed 'untimely'; i.e. a month before the World Cup). Being the BCCI chief, he could've shifted the query towards the national selectors. After all, it was their unanimous choice to sack Kohli and have one white-ball captain.

Former India cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had lashed out at the BCCI chief and told Khaleej Times, "It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-had-no-pressure-from-the-board-selectors-bcci-treasurer-reacts-to-kohli-leaving-test-captaincy-445254">Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy</a>

Further, Kohli's presser fanned the fire. Chetan Sharma's statements led to more questions than answers. The 33-year-old Kohli's Test resignation -- a format where he excelled as captain -- raised more eyebrows; acting as a confirmation to many Indian cricket fans that the superstar batter chose to side away from all the negativity and war of words.&nbsp;

In the ongoing India-SA ODIs, Kohli has scores of 51 and 0 so far. While he didn't dominate entirely in the first outing, he fell for a five-ball duck in the second and penultimate ODI. Fans are already concerned that the BCCI row has taken a lot out of Kohli, who has clearly lacked intensity on the field.&nbsp;

It is NOT looking good

Irrespective of how things have unfolded, Kohli's presence, intensity and contribution remain&nbsp;of utmost importance to Team India across formats.

Thus, one wishes that the tug of war between Kohli and BCCI is over. For now, it is taking a lot out of a talismanic batter and also putting BCCI under the scanner. For the unversed, on&nbsp;Thursday (January 20), reports suggested&nbsp;that Ganguly prevented issuing a show cause notice to Kohli for his explosive presser.&nbsp;A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli." Hence, the writing is clearly on the wall as the recipe being cooked is surely nothing less than a disaster.&nbsp;

If all this continues, India will lose many battles&nbsp;even before taking&nbsp;on oppositions on the field. People following the India-SA series have already concluded that the national side is looking clueless with each passing game in the African nation.

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months. In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE.

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket, especially in the senior men's team in the last four months. In mid-September 2021, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on social media by announcing his resignation as the T20I captain post the World Cup, in the UAE. 🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021 × After India's colossal failure in the showpiece event, a lot of changes were expected. However, none of the connoisseurs of the game would have foreseen the plethora of changes that came into picture since then. While Rohit Sharma succeeded Kohli as the T20I captain, being rewarded for his envious record as IPL captain, the latter remained the ODI and Test captain (he himself wanted to carry on as skipper in the longer formats as per his T20I captaincy resignation tweet). Nonetheless, a twist in the tale unfolded just before India boarded the flight for the ongoing South Africa trip. Last year on December 8, BCCI announced Rohit as the limited-overs captain altogether, sacking Kohli from the top job in the 50-over format. The announcement was made courtesy a two-line Twitter post from the board's official handle: The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams going forward.#TeamIndia | @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/hcg92sPtCa — BCCI (@BCCI) December 8, 2021 × A thank you post for outgoing captain Kohli followed a day later, i.e. on December 9. A leader who led the side with grit, passion & determination. 🇮🇳🔝 Thank you Captain @imVkohli!👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/gz7r6KCuWF — BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2021 × The lack of prior communication -- in terms of a proper official statement by the BCCI -- and the late Twitter post irked many Indian cricket fans, who remained baffled with the sudden turn of events. What was cooking? All eyes, thus, shifted to BCCI's customary press conference before Team India's departure for the rainbow nation. On December 15, Kohli spearheaded the presser and dropped few more bombs with his answers in an affirmative tone. While BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had already conveyed that the board officials and national selectors had requested Kohli to remain the T20I captain, the star Indian batter contradicted from the claims. "I had told BCCI that I want to quit T20I captaincy. I wasn't told to reconsider it. It was received well, without any hesitation; I was told it's a progressive step and it's in the right direction. I had told them that I want to continue ODI and Test captaincy unless the office bearers think otherwise. I had given that option to them," Kohli had stated. ALSO READ | BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report In addition, Kohli made it clear that he had no prior communication with the national selectors regarding the ODI captaincy switch. He revealed that he came to know about the decision only 90 minutes prior to the official announcement. Thus, this opened a pandora of box. Kohli's explosive presser exposed the dire straits between the board, selectors and the superstar cricketer. In response to the presser, Ganguly made it clear that the board will not make any official statement due to ongoing SA tour. "No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly told local mediapersons after the presser. Nonetheless, chief selector Chetan Sharma made heads turn, stating that Kohli was asked by officials and selectors to remain T20I captain. "When meeting started, it was a surprise for everybody. If the World T20 is round the corner and you hear something like this, what will be your reaction? Everyone present in that meeting had told him that he should rethink his decision (to quit T20 captaincy) and we can talk about it after the World Cup. All selectors felt at that time that this can affect us in the World Cup. It was told to Virat for sake of Indian cricket, please continue as the captain and it was told by everybody present in the meeting. The convenors were there, board officials were there. Sabhi ne bola hai (everyone told him). Who won’t tell? If this news comes to you, you are in a shock. But since we had a World T20 to play, we never wanted it to affect team," the former India pacer told on December 31. ALSO READ | 'One match makes...': Virat Kohli turned down BCCI's offer to play farewell Test as captain - Report When the Indian cricket fans were busy trying to make sense of the mysterious turn of events, Kohli dropped another bomb -- probably throwing his last roll of the dice -- by announcing his resignation as the Test captain post India's 2-1 series loss to SA in the African nation. On January 15, Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × Following Kohli's resignation, ending his Team India captaincy tenure altogether, many reactions came in a flash. Needless to say, Ganguly's response was most awaited. Few hours after Kohli's announcement, Ganguly wrote, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli." A battle with no winner but plenty of losers! So far, there is total chaos surrounding Indian cricket. It reminds the 90s fans of the infamous Greg Chappell-era. As an Indian cricket loyalist, the cracks became evident on the day BCCI made the ODI captaincy switch. The lack of communication and late tribute for Kohli -- yes, even a timely Twitter post for some big announcements means a lot in the social media-era -- triggered the collapse. Ganguly statement prior to Kohli's presser was entirely uncalled for (similarly, the latter's T20I captaincy resignation announcement can also be termed 'untimely'; i.e. a month before the World Cup). Being the BCCI chief, he could've shifted the query towards the national selectors. After all, it was their unanimous choice to sack Kohli and have one white-ball captain. Former India cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had lashed out at the BCCI chief and told Khaleej Times, "It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing. I think it should have been handled more professionally by the cricket board. The thing is that Ganguly had no business to speak on behalf of the selection committee. Ganguly is the president of BCCI. Any issue about selection or captaincy, it’s the chairman of the selection committee who should speak." ALSO READ | Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy Further, Kohli's presser fanned the fire. Chetan Sharma's statements led to more questions than answers. The 33-year-old Kohli's Test resignation -- a format where he excelled as captain -- raised more eyebrows; acting as a confirmation to many Indian cricket fans that the superstar batter chose to side away from all the negativity and war of words. In the ongoing India-SA ODIs, Kohli has scores of 51 and 0 so far. While he didn't dominate entirely in the first outing, he fell for a five-ball duck in the second and penultimate ODI. Fans are already concerned that the BCCI row has taken a lot out of Kohli, who has clearly lacked intensity on the field. It is NOT looking good Irrespective of how things have unfolded, Kohli's presence, intensity and contribution remain of utmost importance to Team India across formats. Thus, one wishes that the tug of war between Kohli and BCCI is over. For now, it is taking a lot out of a talismanic batter and also putting BCCI under the scanner. For the unversed, on Thursday (January 20), reports suggested that Ganguly prevented issuing a show cause notice to Kohli for his explosive presser. A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli." Hence, the writing is clearly on the wall as the recipe being cooked is surely nothing less than a disaster. If all this continues, India will lose many battles even before taking on oppositions on the field. People following the India-SA series have already concluded that the national side is looking clueless with each passing game in the African nation.

Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle?

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. He stepped down post the showpiece event, being succeeded by Rohit Sharma, whereas the BCCI national selectors sacked him as the ODI captain, making Rohit the white-ball skipper altogether.

After the end of the three-match Test series between India and South Africa, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the red-ball captain. While many believe things aren't at its best between Kohli and the BCCI -- post the former's explosive presser prior to the SA tour -- former chief selector Kiron More opened up on how things have shaped up in recent times and sympathised with Kohli.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-are-lucky-they-have-many-options-kevin-pietersen-names-who-should-take-over-as-test-captain-446401">India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain</a>

"The way he has left is a bit sad. The way people have treated him, and I am not talking of the BCCI, and criticised him was not fair. He has played a lot of cricket, he has done well for India. The way he played any form of cricket, he had that quality. He always showed the character that he wanted to win," More told News18.

He further asserted, "Let's not forget he is a World Cup winner (2011). He has got 70 international hundreds and is a special player. I am disappointed with the way people were talking about him and the way his captaincy was criticised. For me, he is a legend. Performance-wise, we cannot touch him. I am not worried about him stepping down from T20 or ODI captaincy. That is part of life. The way people were criticising him was not good."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-kohli-were-sitting-apart-former-pak-spinner-makes-glaring-remark-after-indias-1st-odi-loss-446377">Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss</a>

With Kohli stepping down as the Test captain, Rohit is touted to be the frontrunner to take over as the all-format captain. More reflected on Rohit-Rahul Dravid partnership and opined on Kohli the batter going forward. He feels the transition will take time and has backed Kohli to dominate with the bat. "This always happens. People have to come together and regroup. That's the job of Rahul Dravid and the selectors. They are matured cricketers. It is not going to be easy and will take time for the Indian team to settle down. Test cricket is not easy, no matter what. You play Test cricket with your heart. He’s got to perform. Kohli’s 79 and 29 in Cape Town were like 150 on difficult pitch," the former keeper-batter said.

"It is not easy to leave captaincy. He was the captain in all three formats. He must have decided to focus on his batting and win matches for the country. He has always played freely to score 70 international hundreds. Time comes in every captain’s life to move on. Every captain feels it and perhaps he has felt it now," More concluded.

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format.

A lot of changes have happened in Indian cricket post the Men's T20 World Cup, held last year in the UAE. Virat Kohli had already announced that the World Cup will be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. He stepped down post the showpiece event, being succeeded by Rohit Sharma, whereas the BCCI national selectors sacked him as the ODI captain, making Rohit the white-ball skipper altogether. After the end of the three-match Test series between India and South Africa, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the red-ball captain. While many believe things aren't at its best between Kohli and the BCCI -- post the former's explosive presser prior to the SA tour -- former chief selector Kiron More opened up on how things have shaped up in recent times and sympathised with Kohli. ALSO READ | India are lucky they have many options: Kevin Pietersen names who should take over as Test captain "The way he has left is a bit sad. The way people have treated him, and I am not talking of the BCCI, and criticised him was not fair. He has played a lot of cricket, he has done well for India. The way he played any form of cricket, he had that quality. He always showed the character that he wanted to win," More told News18. He further asserted, "Let's not forget he is a World Cup winner (2011). He has got 70 international hundreds and is a special player. I am disappointed with the way people were talking about him and the way his captaincy was criticised. For me, he is a legend. Performance-wise, we cannot touch him. I am not worried about him stepping down from T20 or ODI captaincy. That is part of life. The way people were criticising him was not good." ALSO READ | Rahul, Kohli were sitting apart: Former PAK spinner makes glaring remark after India's 1st ODI loss With Kohli stepping down as the Test captain, Rohit is touted to be the frontrunner to take over as the all-format captain. More reflected on Rohit-Rahul Dravid partnership and opined on Kohli the batter going forward. He feels the transition will take time and has backed Kohli to dominate with the bat. "This always happens. People have to come together and regroup. That's the job of Rahul Dravid and the selectors. They are matured cricketers. It is not going to be easy and will take time for the Indian team to settle down. Test cricket is not easy, no matter what. You play Test cricket with your heart. He’s got to perform. Kohli’s 79 and 29 in Cape Town were like 150 on difficult pitch," the former keeper-batter said. "It is not easy to leave captaincy. He was the captain in all three formats. He must have decided to focus on his batting and win matches for the country. He has always played freely to score 70 international hundreds. Time comes in every captain’s life to move on. Every captain feels it and perhaps he has felt it now," More concluded.

'Way people treated him...': Ex-BCCI selector opines on Virat Kohli post his Test captaincy resignation

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket following the disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. While Virat Kohli had made it clear that he will give up T20I captaincy post the mega event in the Middle East, he was sacked as the ODI captain earlier in December, 2021.

Post the ODI captaincy switch, Kohl had addressed the media in BCCI's customary press conference prior to Team India's departure for South Africa, for three Tests and ODIs each. During the presser, the 33-year-old Kohli revealed that he wasn't asked by anyone to reconsider quitting T20I captaincy, contrary to BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims, and told that there was lack of communication&nbsp;between him and the board before his sacking as&nbsp;ODI captain.

Kohli's comments didn't go down well with the BCCI and Ganguly reportedly wanted to send a show cause notice to the Indian star batter. As per reports, the BCCI President had&nbsp;prepared a draft letter and wanted to send a show cause notice to Kohli but decided against it with the India-SA Tests just few days away.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-sa-virat-kohli-temba-bavuma-involved-in-fiery-exchange-during-1st-odi-in-paarl-watch-446129">India vs SA: Virat Kohli, Temba Bavuma involved in fiery exchange during 1st ODI in Paarl - WATCH</a>

A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli."

It would have been an unprecedented move had Ganguly gone ahead with the show cause notice. For now, the BCCI vs Kohli row has died down, however, tension remains between the board and the former Indian captain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-sa-virat-kohli-surpasses-sachin-tendulkar-ricky-ponting-to-achieve-elite-feat-during-1st-odi-446022">India vs SA: Virat Kohli surpasses Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting to achieve elite feat during 1st ODI</a>

Post the India-SA Tests, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the Test captain. He had even called the BCCI secretary Jay Shah to inform about his decision, however, didn't bother calling Ganguly (as per reports).&nbsp;

Sharing his decision, on January 15, Kohli had&nbsp;tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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To this, Ganguly had shared a Twitter post and said, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli,

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket following the disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. While Virat Kohli had made it clear that he will give up T20I captaincy post the mega event in the Middle East, he was sacked as the ODI captain earlier in December, 2021.

A lot has transpired in Indian cricket following the disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. While Virat Kohli had made it clear that he will give up T20I captaincy post the mega event in the Middle East, he was sacked as the ODI captain earlier in December, 2021. Post the ODI captaincy switch, Kohl had addressed the media in BCCI's customary press conference prior to Team India's departure for South Africa, for three Tests and ODIs each. During the presser, the 33-year-old Kohli revealed that he wasn't asked by anyone to reconsider quitting T20I captaincy, contrary to BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims, and told that there was lack of communication between him and the board before his sacking as ODI captain. Kohli's comments didn't go down well with the BCCI and Ganguly reportedly wanted to send a show cause notice to the Indian star batter. As per reports, the BCCI President had prepared a draft letter and wanted to send a show cause notice to Kohli but decided against it with the India-SA Tests just few days away. ALSO READ | India vs SA: Virat Kohli, Temba Bavuma involved in fiery exchange during 1st ODI in Paarl - WATCH A source close to the development was quoted as saying by India Ahead News, "And the board president was all for issuing a show cause notice to Kohli." It would have been an unprecedented move had Ganguly gone ahead with the show cause notice. For now, the BCCI vs Kohli row has died down, however, tension remains between the board and the former Indian captain. ALSO READ | India vs SA: Virat Kohli surpasses Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting to achieve elite feat during 1st ODI Post the India-SA Tests, in the rainbow nation, Kohli also stepped down as the Test captain. He had even called the BCCI secretary Jay Shah to inform about his decision, however, didn't bother calling Ganguly (as per reports). Sharing his decision, on January 15, Kohli had tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × To this, Ganguly had shared a Twitter post and said, "Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and bcci respects it immensely... he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player. well done... @BCCI @imVkohli,

BCCI President Ganguly wanted to issue showcause notice to Kohli following his explosive presser - Report

Virat Kohli's glorious Test captaincy tenure: Reliving former skipper's inspiring run as leader in whites

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in the red-ball format. India dominated at home, won a Test series in Australia, have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom (held mid-2021), won two games in South Africa and played the inaugural WTC final. Kohli-led India ended as the No. 1 ranked side on five consecutive years in ICC rankings after annual updates.

Thus, with Kohli stepping aside as the Test captain, his overall captaincy tenure as also ended. The national selectors have an important decision to make, with regard to choosing Kohli's successor in whites. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma is leading the race whereas some have suggested youngsters such as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to take over.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-left-indian-test-team-in-good-health-cant-say-gautam-gambhir-on-virat-kohlis-captaincy-tenure-445903">'He left Indian Test team in good health, can’t say...' - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure</a>

Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up in this regard and told Gulf News, "If you ask me, it may be a practical idea to have a stop-gap arrangement with Rohit Sharma or even Ravi Ashwin for a year or so and groom someone in the meanwhile."

From his own experience, Vengsarkar revealed how the selection committee had backed Anil Kumble to succeed Rahul Dravid as Test captain, despite many suggesting the then limited-overs captain MS Dhoni's name.&nbsp;

“Interestingly, my committee was faced with a similar situation when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy and we had a demanding Australia tour round the corner. Some felt that MS Dhoni, who was leading in the shorter format, be promoted but we went ahead with Anil Kumble who did a fantastic job,” he recalled.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/seeing-5-6-years-ahead-is-long-time-md-azharuddin-names-virat-kohlis-replacement-as-indias-test-captain-445807">'Seeing 5-6 years ahead is long time': Md. Azharuddin names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's Test captain</a>

Vengsarkar also opined on the reason behind Kohli's sudden resignation as Test captain. Many feel his own form -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- was one of the main reasons for the right-hander's decision. “I don’t agree with this for I feel that Kohli has had a dream run for nearly five years as a batsman and captain. For all the talk about his current lean phase, I feel that Indians are often obsessed with statistics and that’s something that I don’t believe in”, concluded Vengsarkar.

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing fraternity by resigning as the Test captain on Saturday (January 15). The 33-year-old Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar's South Africa, in the rainbow nation. Under Kohli, India achieved sizeable success in the red-ball format. India dominated at home, won a Test series in Australia, have an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom (held mid-2021), won two games in South Africa and played the inaugural WTC final. Kohli-led India ended as the No. 1 ranked side on five consecutive years in ICC rankings after annual updates. Thus, with Kohli stepping aside as the Test captain, his overall captaincy tenure as also ended. The national selectors have an important decision to make, with regard to choosing Kohli's successor in whites. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma is leading the race whereas some have suggested youngsters such as KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to take over. ALSO READ | 'He left Indian Test team in good health, can’t say...' - Gautam Gambhir on Virat Kohli's captaincy tenure Former Indian cricketer and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar opened up in this regard and told Gulf News, "If you ask me, it may be a practical idea to have a stop-gap arrangement with Rohit Sharma or even Ravi Ashwin for a year or so and groom someone in the meanwhile." From his own experience, Vengsarkar revealed how the selection committee had backed Anil Kumble to succeed Rahul Dravid as Test captain, despite many suggesting the then limited-overs captain MS Dhoni's name. “Interestingly, my committee was faced with a similar situation when Rahul Dravid stepped down from captaincy and we had a demanding Australia tour round the corner. Some felt that MS Dhoni, who was leading in the shorter format, be promoted but we went ahead with Anil Kumble who did a fantastic job,” he recalled. ALSO READ | 'Seeing 5-6 years ahead is long time': Md. Azharuddin names Virat Kohli's replacement as India's Test captain Vengsarkar also opined on the reason behind Kohli's sudden resignation as Test captain. Many feel his own form -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- was one of the main reasons for the right-hander's decision. “I don’t agree with this for I feel that Kohli has had a dream run for nearly five years as a batsman and captain. For all the talk about his current lean phase, I feel that Indians are often obsessed with statistics and that’s something that I don’t believe in”, concluded Vengsarkar.

Not Rahul or Pant! Vengsarkar names two senior players who can replace Virat Kohli as Test captain

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced his decision to step aside as the Indian Test captain. The 33-year-old stunned one and all with his sudden decision, which came only a day after India's three-match Test series loss to hosts Dean Elgar-led South Africa.

Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-will-always-be-my-captain-king-siraj-gets-emotional-shares-heartfelt-post-for-superhero-virat-kohli-445630">You will always be my captain, King: Siraj gets emotional, shares heartfelt post for 'superhero' Virat Kohli</a>

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Kohli's decision shocked the entire cricketing fraternity. Under him, India rose to the No. 1 rankings and ended at the top spot for five consecutive years in ICC's rankings after annual updates. Kohli led India to their maiden Test series win on Australian soil, an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, plenty of wins at home and the final of the inaugural ICC WTC cycle.

As many former cricketers and experts of the game have reacted to Kohli's latest revelation, former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi also joined the bandwagon.

"It's fine in my opinion. Virat has played enough cricket and led the team well. And I believe this is the correct decision. There comes a stage where you can't handle pressure, and because of it, your own performances get affected. So, I think he has captained for a long time and at a great level. As a batsman, it's time he enjoys his cricket," Afridi said on the show ‘Game Set Match’ on&nbsp;Samaa

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-here-to-give-a-judgment-jasprit-bumrah-reacts-to-virat-kohli-quitting-as-test-captain-445472">I am not here to give a judgment: Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli quitting as Test captain</a>

Kohli had already stepped aside as the T20I captain, post the World Cup in the UAE last year, and was removed as the ODI captain in late 2021. He will now shift his focus to return to his very best as a batter -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- in India's upcoming assignments.&nbsp;

Currently, KL Rahul-led India are gearing up for the three ODIs versus South Africa, in the African nation, which gets underway on January 19 at Paarl. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has been ruled out due to hamstring injury.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced his decision to step aside as the Indian Test captain. The 33-year-old stunned one and all with his sudden decision, which came only a day after India's three-match Test series loss to hosts Dean Elgar-led South Africa.

Virat Kohli, on January 15, announced his decision to step aside as the Indian Test captain. The 33-year-old stunned one and all with his sudden decision, which came only a day after India's three-match Test series loss to hosts Dean Elgar-led South Africa. Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × ALSO READ | You will always be my captain, King: Siraj gets emotional, shares heartfelt post for 'superhero' Virat Kohli × Kohli's decision shocked the entire cricketing fraternity. Under him, India rose to the No. 1 rankings and ended at the top spot for five consecutive years in ICC's rankings after annual updates. Kohli led India to their maiden Test series win on Australian soil, an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom, plenty of wins at home and the final of the inaugural ICC WTC cycle. As many former cricketers and experts of the game have reacted to Kohli's latest revelation, former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi also joined the bandwagon. "It's fine in my opinion. Virat has played enough cricket and led the team well. And I believe this is the correct decision. There comes a stage where you can't handle pressure, and because of it, your own performances get affected. So, I think he has captained for a long time and at a great level. As a batsman, it's time he enjoys his cricket," Afridi said on the show ‘Game Set Match’ on Samaa ALSO READ | I am not here to give a judgment: Jasprit Bumrah reacts to Virat Kohli quitting as Test captain Kohli had already stepped aside as the T20I captain, post the World Cup in the UAE last year, and was removed as the ODI captain in late 2021. He will now shift his focus to return to his very best as a batter -- having not scored an international ton since late 2019 -- in India's upcoming assignments. Currently, KL Rahul-led India are gearing up for the three ODIs versus South Africa, in the African nation, which gets underway on January 19 at Paarl. Limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma has been ruled out due to hamstring injury.

'There comes a stage where you can't...': Afridi opines on Virat Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy

Virat Kohli, on Saturday (January 15), dropped a bomb by stepping down as the Indian Test captain, a day after India's 2-1 series loss to Dean Elgar's South Africa in their ongoing tour of the African nation. Under Kohli, India became one of the most successful Test teams in the modern-era as the 33-year-old led the national side to 40 wins in 68 Tests.

Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-had-no-pressure-from-the-board-selectors-bcci-treasurer-reacts-to-kohli-leaving-test-captaincy-445254">Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy</a>

Kohli's resignation as Test captain came as a huge shocker to the cricketing fraternity given how much he loves to lead from the front in whites and the resounding success India has achieved under him.&nbsp;

According to a report filed by&nbsp;Hindustan Times,&nbsp;it has been learned that Kohli was offered a farewell Test as captain by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official. As per the report, the board official had come up with an offer for Kohli to have a farewell Test as skipper along with a gala in Bengaluru (where the forthcoming home series opener versus Sri Lanka will be held next month) during his telephonic conversation. "One match makes no difference. That’s not how I am,” Kohli is reportedly known to have said in his reply.&nbsp;For the unversed, Kohli's next Test will also be his 100th match in whites, in Bengaluru.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-wants-to-make-himself-unsackable-manjrekar-on-kohlis-shocking-decision-to-resign-as-test-captain-445199">'He wants to make himself unsackable': Manjrekar on Kohli's shocking decision to resign as Test captain</a>

In the last four months, Kohli has freed himself from captaincy duties for Team India. While he announced his decision to resign as T20I captain prior to the World Cup, mid-September, he was removed from ODI captaincy before the SA tour whereas he left the top post in Tests on Saturday. Amid all this, Kohli's relation with the board has also gone down considerably; which could have been a factor in quitting captaincy altogether.

Virat Kohli, on Saturday (January 15), dropped a bomb by stepping down as the Indian Test captain, a day after India's 2-1 series loss to Dean Elgar's South Africa in their ongoing tour of the African nation.

Virat Kohli, on Saturday (January 15), dropped a bomb by stepping down as the Indian Test captain, a day after India's 2-1 series loss to Dean Elgar's South Africa in their ongoing tour of the African nation. Under Kohli, India became one of the most successful Test teams in the modern-era as the 33-year-old led the national side to 40 wins in 68 Tests. Kohli tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/huBL6zZ7fZ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022 × ALSO READ | Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy Kohli's resignation as Test captain came as a huge shocker to the cricketing fraternity given how much he loves to lead from the front in whites and the resounding success India has achieved under him. According to a report filed by Hindustan Times, it has been learned that Kohli was offered a farewell Test as captain by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official. As per the report, the board official had come up with an offer for Kohli to have a farewell Test as skipper along with a gala in Bengaluru (where the forthcoming home series opener versus Sri Lanka will be held next month) during his telephonic conversation. "One match makes no difference. That’s not how I am,” Kohli is reportedly known to have said in his reply. For the unversed, Kohli's next Test will also be his 100th match in whites, in Bengaluru. ALSO READ | 'He wants to make himself unsackable': Manjrekar on Kohli's shocking decision to resign as Test captain In the last four months, Kohli has freed himself from captaincy duties for Team India. While he announced his decision to resign as T20I captain prior to the World Cup, mid-September, he was removed from ODI captaincy before the SA tour whereas he left the top post in Tests on Saturday. Amid all this, Kohli's relation with the board has also gone down considerably; which could have been a factor in quitting captaincy altogether.

'One match makes...': Virat Kohli turned down BCCI's offer to play farewell Test as captain - Report

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain on Saturday (January 15). It came as a surprising call as Kohli, one of the most successful captains of all time in the longest format, had been enjoying tremendous success as the leader of the side in the whites. However, there is more to the story than what meets the eye.

It is no secret that Kohli's relationship with the BCCI had stained after the former skipper delivered an explosive press conference ahead of the South Africa tour in December last year. In the press conference, Kohli openly countered some of the comments made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly amid raging controversy over the board's decision to replace him with Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain.

Kohli had last year announced he will be leaving India's T20I captaincy while expressing his desire to continue leading the team in both Tests and ODIs. However, he was replaced a few months later with the selectors arguing that they wanted only one captain in limited-overs formats.

As per a report in PTI, Kohli's relations with the BCCI hit the lowest after his bold presser following his sacking as ODI captain and that it was his decision alone to give up Test captaincy. Kohli reportedly had no prior discussions with any of the BCCI top brass before making his decision official on Saturday.

As per the report, Kohli informed the biggies in the BCCI that he is 'tired' and doesn't want to lead the Test team anymore. The BCCI refrained from making any efforts to ask him to reconsider his decision and welcomed the move from the former India captain.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-rohit-or-rahul-sunil-gavaskar-names-player-who-should-replace-virat-kohli-as-indias-next-test-captain-445170">Not Rohit or Rahul! Gavaskar names player who should replace Virat Kohli as India's next Test captain</a>

Rohit Sharma set to be the new Test captain?

As per PTI, Rohit Sharma is likely to be appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian team given that he is fit to return ahead of the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. If all goes well, Rohit will become India's full-time captain across all formats having already been handed over the baton in ODIs and T20Is.

KL Rahul, who led India in Kohli's absence in the second Test against South Africa and acted as his deputy in the series against the Proteas, is likely to be the permanent vice-captain of the Test side going forward. It remains to be seen when and if BCCI will officially hand over Test captaincy to Rohit ahead of the Sri Lanka series.

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Virat Kohli announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain on Saturday (January 15). It came as a surprising call as Kohli, one of the most successful captains of all time in the longest format, had been enjoying tremendous success as the leader of the side in the whites.

Virat Kohli announced his decision to step down as India's Test captain on Saturday (January 15). It came as a surprising call as Kohli, one of the most successful captains of all time in the longest format, had been enjoying tremendous success as the leader of the side in the whites. However, there is more to the story than what meets the eye. It is no secret that Kohli's relationship with the BCCI had stained after the former skipper delivered an explosive press conference ahead of the South Africa tour in December last year. In the press conference, Kohli openly countered some of the comments made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly amid raging controversy over the board's decision to replace him with Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain. Kohli had last year announced he will be leaving India's T20I captaincy while expressing his desire to continue leading the team in both Tests and ODIs. However, he was replaced a few months later with the selectors arguing that they wanted only one captain in limited-overs formats. As per a report in PTI, Kohli's relations with the BCCI hit the lowest after his bold presser following his sacking as ODI captain and that it was his decision alone to give up Test captaincy. Kohli reportedly had no prior discussions with any of the BCCI top brass before making his decision official on Saturday. As per the report, Kohli informed the biggies in the BCCI that he is 'tired' and doesn't want to lead the Test team anymore. The BCCI refrained from making any efforts to ask him to reconsider his decision and welcomed the move from the former India captain. Also Read: Not Rohit or Rahul! Gavaskar names player who should replace Virat Kohli as India's next Test captain Rohit Sharma set to be the new Test captain? As per PTI, Rohit Sharma is likely to be appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian team given that he is fit to return ahead of the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. If all goes well, Rohit will become India's full-time captain across all formats having already been handed over the baton in ODIs and T20Is. KL Rahul, who led India in Kohli's absence in the second Test against South Africa and acted as his deputy in the series against the Proteas, is likely to be the permanent vice-captain of the Test side going forward. It remains to be seen when and if BCCI will officially hand over Test captaincy to Rohit ahead of the Sri Lanka series.

Virat Kohli was 'tired', was his decision alone to leave Test captaincy; Rohit likely to take over - Report

Virat Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian cricket team on Saturday (January 15), a day after the conclusion of the three-match Test series against South Africa which India lost 2-1. The series was being deemed as India's best chance to clinch their maiden Test series win against the Proteas in their own backyard.

However, Kohli &amp; Co. failed to claim the three-match rubber despite coming close having won the series-opener comfortably to go 1-0 up. It turned out to be Kohli's last Test series as the captain of the Indian team as he took to social media to announce his surprising decision which left the entire cricket fraternity in shock.

While there have been rumours floating around on social media regarding BCCI's possible hand in the matter after Kohli had a public fallout with the board earlier this year over his sacking as ODI captain, the board has maintained Kohli was not asked to leave the top post.

BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal opened up on his decision to step down as Test captain and said Kohli had no pressure from the BCCI or the selectors while adding that he could have carried on as captain for another few years.

“Virat Kohli had no pressure from the BCCI or selectors to step down. It’s his decision and we respect that, but he could have carried on for another two to three years as captain," Dhumal told News18.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-held-on-to-nothing-with-greed-anushka-sharma-posts-hearfelt-note-as-virat-kohli-gives-up-test-captaincy-445182">You held on to nothing with greed: Anushka Sharma posts heartfelt note as Virat Kohli gives up Test captaincy</a>

While Kohli didn't reveal the exact reason behind his decision to quit Test captaincy, the Indian skipper in his statement said he has always given his 120 per cent to the team and he can't be dishonest to the team by not putting in the same efforts now.

"I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and if I can't do that, I know it's not the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team," Kohli said in his statement.

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Virat Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian cricket team on Saturday (January 15), a day after the conclusion of the three-match Test series against South Africa which India lost 2-1.

Virat Kohli announced his resignation as the Test captain of the Indian cricket team on Saturday (January 15), a day after the conclusion of the three-match Test series against South Africa which India lost 2-1. The series was being deemed as India's best chance to clinch their maiden Test series win against the Proteas in their own backyard. However, Kohli & Co. failed to claim the three-match rubber despite coming close having won the series-opener comfortably to go 1-0 up. It turned out to be Kohli's last Test series as the captain of the Indian team as he took to social media to announce his surprising decision which left the entire cricket fraternity in shock. While there have been rumours floating around on social media regarding BCCI's possible hand in the matter after Kohli had a public fallout with the board earlier this year over his sacking as ODI captain, the board has maintained Kohli was not asked to leave the top post. BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal opened up on his decision to step down as Test captain and said Kohli had no pressure from the BCCI or the selectors while adding that he could have carried on as captain for another few years. “Virat Kohli had no pressure from the BCCI or selectors to step down. It’s his decision and we respect that, but he could have carried on for another two to three years as captain," Dhumal told News18. Also Read: You held on to nothing with greed: Anushka Sharma posts heartfelt note as Virat Kohli gives up Test captaincy While Kohli didn't reveal the exact reason behind his decision to quit Test captaincy, the Indian skipper in his statement said he has always given his 120 per cent to the team and he can't be dishonest to the team by not putting in the same efforts now. "I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and if I can't do that, I know it's not the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team," Kohli said in his statement.

Virat had no pressure from the board, selectors: BCCI treasurer reacts to Kohli leaving Test captaincy

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal on Saturday said that there is no doubt that Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian team captain and cricket in the country would continue to thrive under his mentorship and batting skills.

Dhumal`s remarks came as Kohli stepped down as India`s Test captain after leading the side for seven years. "Virat beyond doubt is the most successful Indian cricket team captain. We respect his decision and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours as a batter. I am sure under his leadership, mentorship and with his batting skills, Indian cricket would keep doing well," Dhumal told ANI.

Kohli`s decision to leave Test captaincy came a day after India lost the three-match Test series against South Africa on Friday. The 33-year-old`s biggest win in the longest format came during 2018-19 as India won its first Test series Down Under. Under his captaincy, India also reached the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC).

When asked whether series defeat against South Africa played a role in Virat`s decision, Dhumal said: "I do not think series loss against South Africa would have weighed that much in his decision. This would have been the first series win in South Africa. There is no Indian Test captain that has won a series in South Africa, so that could not be the case. I am sure he would have thought about his decision, he has been leading the side for seven years. He would have thought that this is the time to give leadership to someone else in the team. He will continue leading with his bat."

Read Also |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-transformed-india-into-a-ruthless-unit-that-performed-admirably-bcci-secretary-jay-shah-445066">&nbsp;Virat Kohli transformed India into a ruthless unit that performed admirably: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah</a>

Replying on who can be the next Test captain, Dhumal said: "The decision to appoint a captain is taken by the selectors, not the office bearers. They would discuss among themselves on who will be the next Test captain."

Kohli holds the record for most Test appearances as India Test captain (68) and he also holds the record for most Test wins by an Indian captain (40). Only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh have won more matches than Kohli as captain in Test cricket.

Kohli had first led the side in Test cricket in 2014 against Australia. His last game as captain was the Cape Town Test in South Africa, which India lost by seven wickets. Filling the shoes of MS Dhoni was not going to be easy, but Kohli took leadership by storm, and quickly cemented himself as one of the best thinkers the country has seen in Test cricket.

The leadership also brought out the best in Kohli and it saw the batter registering seven double-centuries in the longest format of the game. Kohli also holds the record for scoring most Test centuries (20) as India captain.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal on Saturday said that there is no doubt that Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian team captain and cricket in the country would continue to thrive under his mentorship and batting skills.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal on Saturday said that there is no doubt that Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian team captain and cricket in the country would continue to thrive under his mentorship and batting skills. Dhumal`s remarks came as Kohli stepped down as India`s Test captain after leading the side for seven years. "Virat beyond doubt is the most successful Indian cricket team captain. We respect his decision and we wish him all the best for his future endeavours as a batter. I am sure under his leadership, mentorship and with his batting skills, Indian cricket would keep doing well," Dhumal told ANI. Kohli`s decision to leave Test captaincy came a day after India lost the three-match Test series against South Africa on Friday. The 33-year-old`s biggest win in the longest format came during 2018-19 as India won its first Test series Down Under. Under his captaincy, India also reached the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC). When asked whether series defeat against South Africa played a role in Virat`s decision, Dhumal said: "I do not think series loss against South Africa would have weighed that much in his decision. This would have been the first series win in South Africa. There is no Indian Test captain that has won a series in South Africa, so that could not be the case. I am sure he would have thought about his decision, he has been leading the side for seven years. He would have thought that this is the time to give leadership to someone else in the team. He will continue leading with his bat." Read Also | Virat Kohli transformed India into a ruthless unit that performed admirably: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah Replying on who can be the next Test captain, Dhumal said: "The decision to appoint a captain is taken by the selectors, not the office bearers. They would discuss among themselves on who will be the next Test captain." Kohli holds the record for most Test appearances as India Test captain (68) and he also holds the record for most Test wins by an Indian captain (40). Only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh have won more matches than Kohli as captain in Test cricket. Kohli had first led the side in Test cricket in 2014 against Australia. His last game as captain was the Cape Town Test in South Africa, which India lost by seven wickets. Filling the shoes of MS Dhoni was not going to be easy, but Kohli took leadership by storm, and quickly cemented himself as one of the best thinkers the country has seen in Test cricket. The leadership also brought out the best in Kohli and it saw the batter registering seven double-centuries in the longest format of the game. Kohli also holds the record for scoring most Test centuries (20) as India captain.

Respect Virat Kohli's decision, Indian cricket would thrive under his mentorship: BCCI treasurer

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lauded Virat Kohli after he announced that he will be stepping down as the Test captain of the Indian team. Kohli's decision has sent shockwaves around the cricket fraternity as the 33-year-old had recently led India in the three-match series against South Africa.

Kohli's decision comes after India lost the recently-concluded Test series against South Africa 2-1. He had last year stepped down as the T20I captain of the team while expressing his desire to continue leading India in both ODIs and Tests. However, he was later sacked as the ODI captain with Rohit Sharma taking over as the new limited-overs captain of the side.

Kohli was also involved in a controversial row with BCCI over his sacking as ODI captain and had publicly contradicted the comments made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. Kohli had also claimed he was informed about the decision of being sacked as ODI captain only 90 minutes before it was made official.

Nobody would have expected Kohli to give up Test captaincy at the start of the year after having led the team to greater heights under his leadership. He made India a dominant force in the longest format and inspired the team to some memorable victories both at home and overseas.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-steps-down-as-indias-test-captain-have-absolute-clarity-cant-be-dishonest-to-my-team-445047">Virat Kohli steps down as India's Test captain: Have absolute clarity, can't be dishonest to my team</a>

Kohli signs off as India's most successful Test captain ahead of the likes of MS Dhoni and Mohammad Azharuddin with 40 wins in a total of 68 matches. Reacting to his decision to leave Test captaincy, BCCI took to Twitter to thank Kohli for his 'admirable leadership qualities' and for taking India to 'unprecedented heights' in Test cricket.

"BCCI congratulates #TeamIndia captain&nbsp;@imVkohli for his admirable leadership qualities that took the Test team to unprecedented heights. He led India in 68 matches and has been the most successful captain with 40 wins," BCCI wrote in a tweet.

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BCCI congratulates <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> captain <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> for his admirable leadership qualities that took the Test team to unprecedented heights. He led India in 68 matches and has been the most successful captain with 40 wins. <a href="https://t.co/oRV3sgPQ2G">https://t.co/oRV3sgPQ2G</a>
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BCCI now faces a huge task to appoint a worthy successor to Kohli for India in Tests ahead of the Sri Lanka series at home which gets underway next month. Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul might take over as the new captain of the Indian Test side after Kohli's shocking announcement.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lauded Virat Kohli after he announced that he will be stepping down as the Test captain of the Indian team. Kohli's decision has sent shockwaves around the cricket fraternity as the 33-year-old had recently led India in the three-match series against South Africa.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lauded Virat Kohli after he announced that he will be stepping down as the Test captain of the Indian team. Kohli's decision has sent shockwaves around the cricket fraternity as the 33-year-old had recently led India in the three-match series against South Africa. Kohli's decision comes after India lost the recently-concluded Test series against South Africa 2-1. He had last year stepped down as the T20I captain of the team while expressing his desire to continue leading India in both ODIs and Tests. However, he was later sacked as the ODI captain with Rohit Sharma taking over as the new limited-overs captain of the side. Kohli was also involved in a controversial row with BCCI over his sacking as ODI captain and had publicly contradicted the comments made by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. Kohli had also claimed he was informed about the decision of being sacked as ODI captain only 90 minutes before it was made official. Nobody would have expected Kohli to give up Test captaincy at the start of the year after having led the team to greater heights under his leadership. He made India a dominant force in the longest format and inspired the team to some memorable victories both at home and overseas. Also Read: Virat Kohli steps down as India's Test captain: Have absolute clarity, can't be dishonest to my team Kohli signs off as India's most successful Test captain ahead of the likes of MS Dhoni and Mohammad Azharuddin with 40 wins in a total of 68 matches. Reacting to his decision to leave Test captaincy, BCCI took to Twitter to thank Kohli for his 'admirable leadership qualities' and for taking India to 'unprecedented heights' in Test cricket. "BCCI congratulates #TeamIndia captain @imVkohli for his admirable leadership qualities that took the Test team to unprecedented heights. He led India in 68 matches and has been the most successful captain with 40 wins," BCCI wrote in a tweet. BCCI congratulates #TeamIndia captain @imVkohli for his admirable leadership qualities that took the Test team to unprecedented heights. He led India in 68 matches and has been the most successful captain with 40 wins. https://t.co/oRV3sgPQ2G — BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2022 × BCCI now faces a huge task to appoint a worthy successor to Kohli for India in Tests ahead of the Sri Lanka series at home which gets underway next month. Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul might take over as the new captain of the Indian Test side after Kohli's shocking announcement.

BCCI lauds Virat Kohli for 'admirable leadership' as he signs off as India's most successful Test captain

SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022.

As per reports, the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is monitoring the Covid-19 situation in India and have Plan B in mind as well. While BCCI wants the IPL to be held in India itself, the third wave of Covid-19 virus is knocking on the door and no one can predict how things pan out with regard to the virus spread in the coming days. Though BCCI have also been contemplating the idea of organising the cash-rich league in Maharashtra, the state is reporting the highest number of Covid cases at present. Hence, as per a report in Indian Express, the board will go ahead and organise the league in Sri Lanka or South Africa (as per their Plan B).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-in-bengaluru-as-dates-confirmed-after-governing-council-meeting-443975">IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting</a>

“We can’t be dependent on UAE all the time so we decided to explore more options, South Africa’s time difference also works out well for the players,”&nbsp;said a BCCI official.&nbsp;

“The place where the team was staying for the second Test is spread over several acres. There were walking tracks and even a pond on the property and that has made things easier for the players who for the last couple of years or so have been confined to their rooms on several overseas tours,”&nbsp;said an official.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

The last two editions of IPL have majorily been held in the UAE. IPL 2020 was entirely held in the Middle East whereas last year's edition's second leg was hosted in UAE. While Sri Lanka have never hosted an IPL season, SA were the hosts for IPL 2009.&nbsp;

BCCI is willing to take the IPL to SA seeing how smoothly the ongoing India-Proteas Test series has gone by despite many doubting if the tour would go on, in early December 2021, after the Omicron spread in the rainbow nation.

For the unversed, the Omicron threat has already been nullified in the African nation, with the country also lifting restrictions that were imposed about a month ago.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022.

The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, 2021. During the recent IPL General Council meeting, on Tuesday (January 11), some big decisions were made, such as Tata group becoming the title sponsor for the cash-rich league, auction dates and venues being confirmed, however, nothing was revealed about the schedule and venues for IPL 2022. As per reports, the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI is monitoring the Covid-19 situation in India and have Plan B in mind as well. While BCCI wants the IPL to be held in India itself, the third wave of Covid-19 virus is knocking on the door and no one can predict how things pan out with regard to the virus spread in the coming days. Though BCCI have also been contemplating the idea of organising the cash-rich league in Maharashtra, the state is reporting the highest number of Covid cases at present. Hence, as per a report in Indian Express, the board will go ahead and organise the league in Sri Lanka or South Africa (as per their Plan B). ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting “We can’t be dependent on UAE all the time so we decided to explore more options, South Africa’s time difference also works out well for the players,” said a BCCI official. “The place where the team was staying for the second Test is spread over several acres. There were walking tracks and even a pond on the property and that has made things easier for the players who for the last couple of years or so have been confined to their rooms on several overseas tours,” said an official. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out The last two editions of IPL have majorily been held in the UAE. IPL 2020 was entirely held in the Middle East whereas last year's edition's second leg was hosted in UAE. While Sri Lanka have never hosted an IPL season, SA were the hosts for IPL 2009. BCCI is willing to take the IPL to SA seeing how smoothly the ongoing India-Proteas Test series has gone by despite many doubting if the tour would go on, in early December 2021, after the Omicron spread in the rainbow nation. For the unversed, the Omicron threat has already been nullified in the African nation, with the country also lifting restrictions that were imposed about a month ago.

Not UAE? BCCI contemplating staging IPL 2022 in Sri Lanka or South Africa as Plan B: Report

The Indian cricket is blessed with plenty of yesteryear stars still contributing to the game by being involved in several roles. The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is the BCCI President, since late 2019, whereas Rahul Dravid is serving as the head coach of the senior men's cricket team. On the other hand, VVS Laxman has taken up as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), as Dravid's successor.

Among the players from the golden era, only Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is missing from the setup. For the unversed, Tendulkar has worked as the mentor for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL, however, has never taken up any role in the Indian cricket setup post retirement. Few weeks back, BCCI chief Ganguly had hinted of adding Tendulkar to the setup. It now looks like the BCCI secretary Jay Shah is keen to have Tendulkar on board in some form.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hes-entertaining-but-brad-hogg-opines-on-pant-advises-dravid-to-not-have-a-word-with-him-444102">'He’s entertaining but...' - Brad Hogg opines on Pant, advises Dravid to not have a word with him</a>

As per a report in the&nbsp;Times of India, the BCCI secretary is keen to bring in the legendary cricketer in a supporting role, just like Dravid and Laxman.

“He’s (Shah) been off the media radar but absolutely clear about what is the right thing to do. Little things that matter. For instance, appointing Rahul Dravid as head coach, ensuring someone of the stature of VVS Laxman gets associated with the National Cricket Academy (NCA). We’re told he’s now trying to convince Sachin Tendulkar to get into some role in the near future,” said BCCI members in the know, as per TOI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-3rd-test-virat-kohli-surpasses-head-coach-rahul-dravid-in-elite-list-with-watchful-50-on-day-1-443953">Ind vs SA, 3rd Test: Virat Kohli surpasses head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list with watchful 50 on Day 1</a>

Tendulkar remains a big name in Indian cricket. He retired from the highest level in late 2013 by amassing over 34,000 runs and scoring 100 international tons. It will be interesting to see if he joins his former teammates in taking up any supporting role in Indian cricket.

The Indian cricket is blessed with plenty of yesteryear stars still contributing to the game by being involved in several roles. The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is the BCCI President, since late 2019, whereas Rahul Dravid is serving as the head coach of the senior men's cricket team.

The Indian cricket is blessed with plenty of yesteryear stars still contributing to the game by being involved in several roles. The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is the BCCI President, since late 2019, whereas Rahul Dravid is serving as the head coach of the senior men's cricket team. On the other hand, VVS Laxman has taken up as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), as Dravid's successor. Among the players from the golden era, only Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is missing from the setup. For the unversed, Tendulkar has worked as the mentor for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL, however, has never taken up any role in the Indian cricket setup post retirement. Few weeks back, BCCI chief Ganguly had hinted of adding Tendulkar to the setup. It now looks like the BCCI secretary Jay Shah is keen to have Tendulkar on board in some form. ALSO READ | 'He’s entertaining but...' - Brad Hogg opines on Pant, advises Dravid to not have a word with him As per a report in the Times of India, the BCCI secretary is keen to bring in the legendary cricketer in a supporting role, just like Dravid and Laxman. “He’s (Shah) been off the media radar but absolutely clear about what is the right thing to do. Little things that matter. For instance, appointing Rahul Dravid as head coach, ensuring someone of the stature of VVS Laxman gets associated with the National Cricket Academy (NCA). We’re told he’s now trying to convince Sachin Tendulkar to get into some role in the near future,” said BCCI members in the know, as per TOI. ALSO READ | Ind vs SA, 3rd Test: Virat Kohli surpasses head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list with watchful 50 on Day 1 Tendulkar remains a big name in Indian cricket. He retired from the highest level in late 2013 by amassing over 34,000 runs and scoring 100 international tons. It will be interesting to see if he joins his former teammates in taking up any supporting role in Indian cricket.

Jay Shah wants Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar to take up supporting role in Indian cricket: Report

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e. RPSG group's Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital-owned Ahmedabad -- into the cash-rich league, TATA Group were declared as the title sponsors after Chinese mobile manufacturer VIVO's pullout. In addition, the venue and dates for the forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction also got confirmed.&nbsp;

The upcoming mega auction is set to be two-day affair and will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. For the unversed, the two new IPL teams will get a chance to pick three players each from the non-retained list before the action in the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik and Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, David Warner and many other top names haven't been retained by their respective franchises. Hence, the mega auction is keenly awaited among IPL loyalists all around the globe.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

While many key decisions took place in the IPL GC meeting, nothing has been finalised when it comes to the venues for the IPL 2022 edition. The last two IPL seasons have been played largely in the UAE (with the 2020 season held entirely in UAE whereas last year's final leg also took place in the Middle East), this year's IPL season's scheduling will also test the BCCI as Covid-19 cases are on the rise in India. Thus, the board hasn't taken a call on the venues and will decide after monitoring the situation in March. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will get in touch with all the stakeholders and the government before a final call is made. At present, the third-wave scare is looming large in the country.&nbsp;

It is believed that if the situation doesn't improve by early March, BCCI will take a call, create a cluster to shift the tournament where there are four of five stadiums with no air travel.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/governing-council-approves-new-teams-entry-into-ipl-will-get-10-14-days-to-pick-players-443905">Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players</a>

Talking about the last IPL season, it was the first-ever edition to be held in two halves. IPL 14 started in India before it was postponed indefinitely midway, in early May, due to the second wave of the Covid-19 infection. Later in the year, the tournament was shifted in the UAE where MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned victorious by winning their fourth title overall.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council meeting took place on Tuesday (January 11). Apart from officially approving the two new IPL teams' entry -- i.e. RPSG group's Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital-owned Ahmedabad -- into the cash-rich league, TATA Group were declared as the title sponsors after Chinese mobile manufacturer VIVO's pullout. In addition, the venue and dates for the forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction also got confirmed. The upcoming mega auction is set to be two-day affair and will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. For the unversed, the two new IPL teams will get a chance to pick three players each from the non-retained list before the action in the mega auction. The likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik and Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, David Warner and many other top names haven't been retained by their respective franchises. Hence, the mega auction is keenly awaited among IPL loyalists all around the globe. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out While many key decisions took place in the IPL GC meeting, nothing has been finalised when it comes to the venues for the IPL 2022 edition. The last two IPL seasons have been played largely in the UAE (with the 2020 season held entirely in UAE whereas last year's final leg also took place in the Middle East), this year's IPL season's scheduling will also test the BCCI as Covid-19 cases are on the rise in India. Thus, the board hasn't taken a call on the venues and will decide after monitoring the situation in March. The Sourav Ganguly-led board will get in touch with all the stakeholders and the government before a final call is made. At present, the third-wave scare is looming large in the country. It is believed that if the situation doesn't improve by early March, BCCI will take a call, create a cluster to shift the tournament where there are four of five stadiums with no air travel. ALSO READ | Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players Talking about the last IPL season, it was the first-ever edition to be held in two halves. IPL 14 started in India before it was postponed indefinitely midway, in early May, due to the second wave of the Covid-19 infection. Later in the year, the tournament was shifted in the UAE where MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) returned victorious by winning their fourth title overall.

IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru as dates confirmed after governing council meeting

On Tuesday (January 11), Team India head coach and former captain Rahul Dravid turned 49. The Wall, as he is famously known, is celebrating his birthday with the national cricket team as India have locked horns with South Africa for the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town.

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final Test, Dravid had a brief conversation with commentator&nbsp;Pommie Mbangwa on-air, where the former thanked one and all for the birthday wishes. However, he made an honest confession when it comes to the wishes on his special day.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/major-setback-for-kl-rahul-led-team-india-as-star-player-tests-positive-ahead-of-sa-odis-443914">Major setback for KL Rahul-led Team India as star player tests positive ahead of SA ODIs</a>

Dravid said, "As you get older you don’t know what to feel when it’s your birthday. You are a year older. But it’s nice, some nice wishes from friends, family, and fans. So very grateful for all of that."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-sa-3rd-test-rahul-mayank-move-past-sehwag-gambhir-to-attain-unique-feat-among-indian-openers-443856">India vs SA, 3rd Test: Rahul, Mayank move past Sehwag-Gambhir to attain unique feat among Indian openers</a>

Ahead of the all-important Test series finale, coach Dravid also revealed that the Virat Kohli-led Indian side doesn't need to be motivated as they are eager to go for the kill and achieve their maiden Test series win in SA. "At this level, you don’t motivate people to play the game. If I am having to do that before a big Test match with the opportunity to create history, then we have got the wrong people,” Dravid added.

For the unversed, India won the three-match Test series opener, in Centurion, before losing the second and penultimate Test at The Wanderers, Johannesburg. They need to win their first Test in Cape Town to make history and return with their maiden Test series triumph in the rainbow nation.

On Tuesday (January 11), Team India head coach and former captain Rahul Dravid turned 49. The Wall, as he is famously known, is celebrating his birthday with the national cricket team as India have locked horns with South Africa for the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town.

On Tuesday (January 11), Team India head coach and former captain Rahul Dravid turned 49. The Wall, as he is famously known, is celebrating his birthday with the national cricket team as India have locked horns with South Africa for the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town. Ahead of the commencement of the third and final Test, Dravid had a brief conversation with commentator Pommie Mbangwa on-air, where the former thanked one and all for the birthday wishes. However, he made an honest confession when it comes to the wishes on his special day. ALSO READ | Major setback for KL Rahul-led Team India as star player tests positive ahead of SA ODIs Dravid said, "As you get older you don’t know what to feel when it’s your birthday. You are a year older. But it’s nice, some nice wishes from friends, family, and fans. So very grateful for all of that." ALSO READ | India vs SA, 3rd Test: Rahul, Mayank move past Sehwag-Gambhir to attain unique feat among Indian openers Ahead of the all-important Test series finale, coach Dravid also revealed that the Virat Kohli-led Indian side doesn't need to be motivated as they are eager to go for the kill and achieve their maiden Test series win in SA. "At this level, you don’t motivate people to play the game. If I am having to do that before a big Test match with the opportunity to create history, then we have got the wrong people,” Dravid added. For the unversed, India won the three-match Test series opener, in Centurion, before losing the second and penultimate Test at The Wanderers, Johannesburg. They need to win their first Test in Cape Town to make history and return with their maiden Test series triumph in the rainbow nation.

As you get older you don’t know what to feel, says Rahul Dravid as Team India head coach turns 49

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league. RPSG Group and private investment firm CVC had successfully bid for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchise, respectively, last October. However, the LOI got delayed after it emerged that CVC had links with betting companies outside India.

The BCCI, with the help of its legal team, took its time to probe the issue before deciding to approve the CVC bid. 
"The bids were approved by the GC today, LOI will be issued soon," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the meeting.

The issuance of LOI means the two teams are formally part of the IPL, allowing them to pick players ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

Both the franchises have already recruited the support staff and they can now go ahead and sign up to three players each from the draft pick ahead of the mega auction. K L Rahul is expected to lead Lucknow and Hardik Pandya Ahmedabad.

The IPL chief said the GC plans to give them 10-14 days to pick the players before the auction.

"We have been talking to the new teams, we are planning to give them 10 days to two weeks," said Patel, adding that there has been no change in the date and place of auction.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

With India experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI is exploring back-up options for the IPL, expected to be held in April-May, and it includes hosting the entire event in one state.

However, Patel said it is still too early to decide on the matter.

"We would like to play in India but we have to see the situation," he added.

The entire edition of 2020 was held in the UAE due to the pandemic. The tournament returned to India the following year but had to be suspended in May amid a devastating second wave in the country. The rest of the IPL had to be completed in the UAE in September-October.

"As of now, we are hosting it in India but the situation is fluid. It is too early to think about shifting it outside," added a BCCI official.&nbsp;

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league.

The IPL Governing Council on Tuesday decided to issue the Letter of Intent to new IPL franchises Lucknow and Ahmedabad, formalising their entry into the world's biggest T20 league. RPSG Group and private investment firm CVC had successfully bid for the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchise, respectively, last October. However, the LOI got delayed after it emerged that CVC had links with betting companies outside India. The BCCI, with the help of its legal team, took its time to probe the issue before deciding to approve the CVC bid. "The bids were approved by the GC today, LOI will be issued soon," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the meeting. The issuance of LOI means the two teams are formally part of the IPL, allowing them to pick players ahead of the auction on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. Both the franchises have already recruited the support staff and they can now go ahead and sign up to three players each from the draft pick ahead of the mega auction. K L Rahul is expected to lead Lucknow and Hardik Pandya Ahmedabad. The IPL chief said the GC plans to give them 10-14 days to pick the players before the auction. "We have been talking to the new teams, we are planning to give them 10 days to two weeks," said Patel, adding that there has been no change in the date and place of auction. Also Read: Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out With India experiencing a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI is exploring back-up options for the IPL, expected to be held in April-May, and it includes hosting the entire event in one state. However, Patel said it is still too early to decide on the matter. "We would like to play in India but we have to see the situation," he added. The entire edition of 2020 was held in the UAE due to the pandemic. The tournament returned to India the following year but had to be suspended in May amid a devastating second wave in the country. The rest of the IPL had to be completed in the UAE in September-October. "As of now, we are hosting it in India but the situation is fluid. It is too early to think about shifting it outside," added a BCCI official.

Governing Council approves new teams' entry into IPL, will get 10-14 days to pick players

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights. Shah`s remark comes as TATA will be replacing Vivo as the title sponsor of the IPL from this year onwards. "This is indeed a momentous occasion for the BCCI IPL as the Tata Group is the epitome of global Indian enterprise with an over 100-year-old legacy and operations in more than 100 countries across six continents.

The BCCI like the TATA Group is keen to promote the spirit of cricket across international borders, and the growing popularity of the IPL as a global sporting franchise bears testimony to the BCCI`s efforts," said Shah in an official statement."We are truly happy that India`s largest and most trusted business group has believed in the IPL growth story and together with the Tata Group, we will look to take Indian cricket and the IPL forward to greater heights," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tata-to-be-new-title-sponsor-of-indian-premier-league-after-vivo-pulls-out-443830">Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out</a>

Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that TATA will replace VIVO as the main sponsor for the upcoming edition of the tournament. "Yes, TATA will replace Vivo as the title sponsor," Patel had told ANI.Vivo still has two years left in its sponsorship deal with the league and as a result, during this period, Tata will remain the main sponsor. Indian Premier League`s (IPL) two new teams -- Sanjiv Goenka`s RPSG Group for the Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital`s Ahmedabad team on Tuesday received the formal clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/simply-mindboggling-from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-ab-de-villiers-top-5-earners-in-ipl-history-443658">SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history</a>

The formal clearance was given after a meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Tuesday and both Ahmedabad and Lucknow have also been given a time frame for player signing before the mega auction takes place.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Tuesday said that along with the TATA group, the board will look to take Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) to greater heights. Shah`s remark comes as TATA will be replacing Vivo as the title sponsor of the IPL from this year onwards. "This is indeed a momentous occasion for the BCCI IPL as the Tata Group is the epitome of global Indian enterprise with an over 100-year-old legacy and operations in more than 100 countries across six continents. The BCCI like the TATA Group is keen to promote the spirit of cricket across international borders, and the growing popularity of the IPL as a global sporting franchise bears testimony to the BCCI`s efforts," said Shah in an official statement."We are truly happy that India`s largest and most trusted business group has believed in the IPL growth story and together with the Tata Group, we will look to take Indian cricket and the IPL forward to greater heights," he added. ALSO READ | Tata to be new title sponsor of Indian Premier League after Vivo pulls out Earlier on Tuesday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that TATA will replace VIVO as the main sponsor for the upcoming edition of the tournament. "Yes, TATA will replace Vivo as the title sponsor," Patel had told ANI.Vivo still has two years left in its sponsorship deal with the league and as a result, during this period, Tata will remain the main sponsor. Indian Premier League`s (IPL) two new teams -- Sanjiv Goenka`s RPSG Group for the Lucknow franchise and CVC Capital`s Ahmedabad team on Tuesday received the formal clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). ALSO READ | SIMPLY MINDBOGGLING! From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to AB de Villiers: Top 5 earners in IPL history The formal clearance was given after a meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Tuesday and both Ahmedabad and Lucknow have also been given a time frame for player signing before the mega auction takes place.

Along with TATA group, will look to take Indian cricket to greater heights, says BCCI secretary Jay Shah

Virat Kohli-led India have locked horns with South Africa in the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town on Tuesday (January 11). With the series interestingly poised at 1-1, there's all to play for both sides in the deciding encounter. For the unversed, Kohli &amp; Co. are on the cusp of winning their maiden Test series on South African soil if they end with a scoreline of 2-1.

While India won the toss and opted to bat first, the onus fell on KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. The two openers have been in form and were involved in a century-stand on Day 1 of the series opener, in Centurion, but failed to score big in the first innings.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="India vs SA, 3rd Test: KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal move past Virender Sehwag-Gautam Gambhir to attain unique feat among Indian openershttps://www.wionews.com/sports/never-thought-that-would-happen-sanjay-manjrekar-explains-reason-behind-virat-kohlis-rough-patch-443789">'Never thought that would happen': Sanjay Manjrekar explains reason behind Virat Kohli's rough patch</a>

Rahul (12) and Mayank (15) made their way back with lowly returns. However, the two became the first Indian opening duo to register 200+ runs in Tests in South Africa.

Rahul and Mayank surpassed Virender Sehwag-Gautam Gambhir to top the list of Indian opening pairs who have got the most runs in the rainbow nation. Sehwag and Gambhir previously held the numero uno position, having accumulated 184 runs to their name. Meanwhile, Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik are placed on the third spot (153 runs).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/way-they-batted-in-jburg-is-priceless-virat-kohli-backs-under-fire-duo-cheteshwar-pujara-ajinkya-rahane-443723">Way they batted in J'burg is priceless: Virat Kohli backs under-fire duo Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane</a>

Both Rahul and Mayank would have been gutted to miss out on scoring big after getting a start. The duo were involved in a 31-run opening stand before Duanne Olivier removed Rahul whereas Kagiso Rabada accounted for Mayank's scalp.

At the coin toss, Kohli told the broadcasters, "Runs on this venue have always worked out well. I am fit and fine. I come in for Vihari. Siraj misses out because of a niggle and Umesh comes in for him. Umesh has been very potent with the ball recently, very handy in the field and with the bat as well. It was a tough decision to choose between the two (Ishant and Umesh). We are expected to win every Test even when we play overseas and that fourth innings chase from South Africa was a special one from them. It is a beautiful stadium and we are very excited."

At lunch on Day 1 of the Cape Town Test, India are 75-2 in 28 overs.

Virat Kohli-led India have locked horns with South Africa in the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town on Tuesday (January 11). With the series interestingly poised at 1-1, there's all to play for both sides in the deciding encounter.

Virat Kohli-led India have locked horns with South Africa in the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town on Tuesday (January 11). With the series interestingly poised at 1-1, there's all to play for both sides in the deciding encounter. For the unversed, Kohli & Co. are on the cusp of winning their maiden Test series on South African soil if they end with a scoreline of 2-1. While India won the toss and opted to bat first, the onus fell on KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. The two openers have been in form and were involved in a century-stand on Day 1 of the series opener, in Centurion, but failed to score big in the first innings. ALSO READ | 'Never thought that would happen': Sanjay Manjrekar explains reason behind Virat Kohli's rough patch Rahul (12) and Mayank (15) made their way back with lowly returns. However, the two became the first Indian opening duo to register 200+ runs in Tests in South Africa. Rahul and Mayank surpassed Virender Sehwag-Gautam Gambhir to top the list of Indian opening pairs who have got the most runs in the rainbow nation. Sehwag and Gambhir previously held the numero uno position, having accumulated 184 runs to their name. Meanwhile, Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik are placed on the third spot (153 runs). ALSO READ | Way they batted in J'burg is priceless: Virat Kohli backs under-fire duo Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane Both Rahul and Mayank would have been gutted to miss out on scoring big after getting a start. The duo were involved in a 31-run opening stand before Duanne Olivier removed Rahul whereas Kagiso Rabada accounted for Mayank's scalp. At the coin toss, Kohli told the broadcasters, "Runs on this venue have always worked out well. I am fit and fine. I come in for Vihari. Siraj misses out because of a niggle and Umesh comes in for him. Umesh has been very potent with the ball recently, very handy in the field and with the bat as well. It was a tough decision to choose between the two (Ishant and Umesh). We are expected to win every Test even when we play overseas and that fourth innings chase from South Africa was a special one from them. It is a beautiful stadium and we are very excited." At lunch on Day 1 of the Cape Town Test, India are 75-2 in 28 overs.

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