<p>Sourav Ganguly recalled Virat Kohli's infamous resignation as India captain in late 2021. Kohli announced his resignation as the T20I captain before the start of the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Soon after the World Cup, he was sacked as the ODI captain and after the end of the India-South Africa Tests, which concluded in early 2022 in&nbsp;the African nation, Kohli stepped down as the Test captain as well, bringing curtains to his captaincy tenure. Back then, Ganguly was also criticised by many for playing a role in Kohli's resignation as he was serving as the BCCI chief.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, Ganguly has recalled the entire controversy and stated that he didn't play any role in Kohli leaving captaincy altogether. The former Indian captain said that he just asked Kohli to step down as the white-ball skipper after the latter had announced his resignation from T20Is.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I didn't remove Virat from captaincy. I have told this a lot of times. He was not interested to lead in T20Is. So, after he made that decision, I told him, if you're not interested to lead in T20Is, it's better if you step down from entire white-ball cricket. Let there be a white-ball captain and a red-ball captain," Ganguly said on Dadagiri Unlimited Season 10, a reality show.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-do-pcs-every-3-minutes-akrams-advice-for-new-pakistan-management-asks-them-to-be-brave-666383">Don't do PCs every 3 minutes: Akram's advice for new Pakistan management, asks them to 'be brave'</a></strong></p>

<p>In addition, Ganguly revealed he had to push Rohit Sharma to take over as the all-format captain after Kohli's resignation in January 2022. "I pushed Rohit Sharma a bit to take up the captaincy role because he wasn't interested to lead in all three formats of the game. So, maybe I have a bit of contribution in that but no matter who is administrating, it's the players who perform well on the field. I was appointed as the President of BCCI to work for the betterment of Indian cricket, this is a small part of it," he added.</p>

<p>Back then, Kohli wanted to carry on as the ODI and Test captain despite stepping down as the T20I skipper in September 2021. However, the board eventually sacked him as the ODI captain before he moved aside from the additional responsibility in the red-ball format. At present, Kohli is gearing up for India's two-match Test series versus South Africa, starting on Dec 26.</p>


Sourav Ganguly recalled Virat Kohli's infamous resignation as India captain in late 2021. Kohli announced his resignation as the T20I captain before the start of the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE.

Sourav Ganguly recalled Virat Kohli's infamous resignation as India captain in late 2021. Kohli announced his resignation as the T20I captain before the start of the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Soon after the World Cup, he was sacked as the ODI captain and after the end of the India-South Africa Tests, which concluded in early 2022 in the African nation, Kohli stepped down as the Test captain as well, bringing curtains to his captaincy tenure. Back then, Ganguly was also criticised by many for playing a role in Kohli's resignation as he was serving as the BCCI chief. Now, Ganguly has recalled the entire controversy and stated that he didn't play any role in Kohli leaving captaincy altogether. The former Indian captain said that he just asked Kohli to step down as the white-ball skipper after the latter had announced his resignation from T20Is. "I didn't remove Virat from captaincy. I have told this a lot of times. He was not interested to lead in T20Is. So, after he made that decision, I told him, if you're not interested to lead in T20Is, it's better if you step down from entire white-ball cricket. Let there be a white-ball captain and a red-ball captain," Ganguly said on Dadagiri Unlimited Season 10, a reality show. Also read: Don't do PCs every 3 minutes: Akram's advice for new Pakistan management, asks them to 'be brave' In addition, Ganguly revealed he had to push Rohit Sharma to take over as the all-format captain after Kohli's resignation in January 2022. "I pushed Rohit Sharma a bit to take up the captaincy role because he wasn't interested to lead in all three formats of the game. So, maybe I have a bit of contribution in that but no matter who is administrating, it's the players who perform well on the field. I was appointed as the President of BCCI to work for the betterment of Indian cricket, this is a small part of it," he added. Back then, Kohli wanted to carry on as the ODI and Test captain despite stepping down as the T20I skipper in September 2021. However, the board eventually sacked him as the ODI captain before he moved aside from the additional responsibility in the red-ball format. At present, Kohli is gearing up for India's two-match Test series versus South Africa, starting on Dec 26.

'Didn't remove Virat Kohli from captaincy': Former skipper and BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly recalls controversy

<p>In match 20 of the IPL 2023 edition, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) hosted the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 15. In defence of 174 for 6, the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB beat Delhi by 23 runs but the game made maximum noise when Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly, former India captain and BCCI chief who is serving as DC's Director of Cricket, didn't shake hands after the match.</p>

<p>During the customary handshake, Kohli and Ganguly&nbsp;did not greet each other and walked off straightaway. Moreover, Kohli reportedly unfollowed Ganguly on Instagram and the latter returned the favour as well. Irrespective of the truth behind their recent action on Instagram, a lot has been said and written about Kohli vs Ganguly saga since late 2021 (when things got out of hands between the duo post Kohli's decision to resign as Team India's T20I captain).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, Shane Watson -- DC's assistant coach -- opined on Kohli vs Ganguly stare off and said on Grade Cricket's Youtube channel, "It could be rumour mongering, but I’m not sure. So, it’s not something I want to get involved in."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-unfollows-ganguly-on-instagram-after-latter-refuses-to-shake-hands-post-rcb-dc-tie-in-ipl-2023-reports-583218">Kohli unfollows Ganguly on Instagram after latter refuses to shake hands post RCB-DC tie in IPL 2023: Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>Watson, however, was quick to point out that there was "definitely some fire in Kohli's belly". "But there was definitely some fire in Virat’s belly, that’s for sure. For an opposition point of view, that’s the last thing you need as well. Virat, when he’s like that, that’s when he’s at his absolute best. Whatever reason that was, I’m not exactly sure,” the Aussie veteran added.</p>

<p>DC and RCB will once again face-off, in the reverse clash, on May 6 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. It will be interesting to see what happens this time around between the two superstar cricketers.</p>


In match 20 of the IPL 2023 edition, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) hosted the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 15. In defence of 174 for 6, the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB beat Delhi by 23 runs but the game made maximum noise when Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly, former India captain and BCCI chief who is serving as DC's Director of Cricket, didn't shake hands after the match.

In match 20 of the IPL 2023 edition, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) hosted the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 15. In defence of 174 for 6, the Virat Kohli-starrer RCB beat Delhi by 23 runs but the game made maximum noise when Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly, former India captain and BCCI chief who is serving as DC's Director of Cricket, didn't shake hands after the match. During the customary handshake, Kohli and Ganguly did not greet each other and walked off straightaway. Moreover, Kohli reportedly unfollowed Ganguly on Instagram and the latter returned the favour as well. Irrespective of the truth behind their recent action on Instagram, a lot has been said and written about Kohli vs Ganguly saga since late 2021 (when things got out of hands between the duo post Kohli's decision to resign as Team India's T20I captain). Now, Shane Watson -- DC's assistant coach -- opined on Kohli vs Ganguly stare off and said on Grade Cricket's Youtube channel, "It could be rumour mongering, but I’m not sure. So, it’s not something I want to get involved in." Also read: Kohli unfollows Ganguly on Instagram after latter refuses to shake hands post RCB-DC tie in IPL 2023: Reports Watson, however, was quick to point out that there was "definitely some fire in Kohli's belly". "But there was definitely some fire in Virat’s belly, that’s for sure. For an opposition point of view, that’s the last thing you need as well. Virat, when he’s like that, that’s when he’s at his absolute best. Whatever reason that was, I’m not exactly sure,” the Aussie veteran added. DC and RCB will once again face-off, in the reverse clash, on May 6 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. It will be interesting to see what happens this time around between the two superstar cricketers.

IPL 2023: 'Could be rumour mongering, but...' - Shane Watson opines on Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly saga

<p>On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more. His revelations have gone viral with many having plenty to say about the chief selector's claims, in the sting operation carried out by Zee News.</p>

<p>The former Indian cricketer revealed how Kohli felt it was former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly behind his ODI captaincy sacking, rubbished rumours of rift between Rohit and Kohli, spoke at length on how players are desperate to hold on to their respective spots and play despite not being fully fit. After such explosive comments, social media platforms have been flooded with several reactions, including memes. <strong>Here are some memes on the entire Chetan Sharma sting operation:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Behind the scene of the Chetan Sharma sting operation. <a href="https://t.co/VSQKBxWRfT">pic.twitter.com/VSQKBxWRfT</a></p>
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1625537763864092672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Someone, right now. 😆 <a href="https://t.co/BlQlfQtRjl">pic.twitter.com/BlQlfQtRjl</a></p>
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) <a href="https://twitter.com/KShriniwasRao/status/1625526403126145025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BCCI and Chetan Sharma politics exposed.<br />
<br />
Fans -<a href="https://t.co/CECEQuK9eH">pic.twitter.com/CECEQuK9eH</a></p>
— Pratham. (@75thHundredWhen) <a href="https://twitter.com/75thHundredWhen/status/1625524728583815168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">P.O.V according to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChetanSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChetanSharma</a> : <a href="https://t.co/0OSRlxhFgS">pic.twitter.com/0OSRlxhFgS</a></p>
— Valdimiputin ( Parody account) (@valdimiputin) <a href="https://twitter.com/valdimiputin/status/1625702369202692101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virat-kohli-tried-to-defame-sourav-ganguly-in-the-media-but-it-backfired-says-chetan-sharma-561986">Exclusive: Virat Kohli tried to defame Sourav Ganguly in the media but it backfired, says Chetan Sharma</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>CLAIMS MADE BY CHETAN SHARMA</strong></p>

<p><strong>On Kohli vs Ganguly</strong></p>

<p>When a player grows in stature, he starts thinking that he was become very big, bigger than the board even. Then he starts thinking that nobody can stand against him. Without him, the cricket will stop. But has that ever happened? Many big players came and went, but cricket is still there; it remains the same. He wanted to confront the then-BCCI president.&nbsp;I was present in the selection meeting. Kohli was clearly told by the BCCI president to re-think his decision to quit the T20I captaincy. We all told him to reconsider his decision. But he lied to the media when he said that he got no such suggestion from anyone in the board.</p>

<p>He was addressing the media ahead of the South Africa tour. He unnecessarily brought up the issue of what transpired in the selection committee.</p>

<p><strong>On Kohli vs Rohit alleged rift</strong></p>

<p>There are no rifts between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they support each other. Both are like Amitabh and Dharmendra.</p>

<p><strong>Do players hide their injuries to play?</strong></p>

<p>Maybe 10-15% do that and they ask us to let them play but medical science does not let them. Players obviously want to play; they do not want to miss any matches. In case of [Jaspreet] Bumrah, he wasn't even able to bend down so what could he do? There are only handful of such cases, however some of them, they just take injections on their own and they say they are fine.</p>

<p>Thus, Chetan Sharma's claims have become a huge talking point in the cricket fraternity. A strict action is expected by the BCCI in the coming few days. At present, the Rohit Sharma-led senior men's team is gearing up for the second Test versus Australia, in New Delhi, after winning the series opener, in Nagpur, by an innings and 132 runs.</p>

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On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more.

On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more. His revelations have gone viral with many having plenty to say about the chief selector's claims, in the sting operation carried out by Zee News. The former Indian cricketer revealed how Kohli felt it was former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly behind his ODI captaincy sacking, rubbished rumours of rift between Rohit and Kohli, spoke at length on how players are desperate to hold on to their respective spots and play despite not being fully fit. After such explosive comments, social media platforms have been flooded with several reactions, including memes. Here are some memes on the entire Chetan Sharma sting operation: Behind the scene of the Chetan Sharma sting operation. pic.twitter.com/VSQKBxWRfT — Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) February 14, 2023 × Someone, right now. 😆 pic.twitter.com/BlQlfQtRjl — KSR (@KShriniwasRao) February 14, 2023 × BCCI and Chetan Sharma politics exposed. Fans -pic.twitter.com/CECEQuK9eH — Pratham. (@75thHundredWhen) February 14, 2023 × P.O.V according to #ChetanSharma : pic.twitter.com/0OSRlxhFgS — Valdimiputin ( Parody account) (@valdimiputin) February 15, 2023 × Also Read: Exclusive: Virat Kohli tried to defame Sourav Ganguly in the media but it backfired, says Chetan Sharma CLAIMS MADE BY CHETAN SHARMA On Kohli vs Ganguly When a player grows in stature, he starts thinking that he was become very big, bigger than the board even. Then he starts thinking that nobody can stand against him. Without him, the cricket will stop. But has that ever happened? Many big players came and went, but cricket is still there; it remains the same. He wanted to confront the then-BCCI president. I was present in the selection meeting. Kohli was clearly told by the BCCI president to re-think his decision to quit the T20I captaincy. We all told him to reconsider his decision. But he lied to the media when he said that he got no such suggestion from anyone in the board. He was addressing the media ahead of the South Africa tour. He unnecessarily brought up the issue of what transpired in the selection committee. On Kohli vs Rohit alleged rift There are no rifts between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they support each other. Both are like Amitabh and Dharmendra. Do players hide their injuries to play? Maybe 10-15% do that and they ask us to let them play but medical science does not let them. Players obviously want to play; they do not want to miss any matches. In case of [Jaspreet] Bumrah, he wasn't even able to bend down so what could he do? There are only handful of such cases, however some of them, they just take injections on their own and they say they are fine. Thus, Chetan Sharma's claims have become a huge talking point in the cricket fraternity. A strict action is expected by the BCCI in the coming few days. At present, the Rohit Sharma-led senior men's team is gearing up for the second Test versus Australia, in New Delhi, after winning the series opener, in Nagpur, by an innings and 132 runs. ×

Chetan Sharma quits as BCCI chief selector: Memes galore after staggering revelations in TV sting operation

<p>Chetan Sharma Sting Operation: The Virat Kohli vs BCCI spat was much talked about in late 2021. Ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Kohli announced that he will resign as the T20I captain post the showpiece event in the UAE. After the T20 WC, India was set to tour South Africa -- for three Tests and ODIs each -- when the Chetan Sharma-led BCCI selection committee sacked Kohli as the ODI captain.</p>

<p>This led to a huge debate, with many feeling Kohli was not treated properly. While Kohli presented his side of the story, that he was not informed well in advance about his sacking and was still eager to lead in the longer formats, his press conference with the reporters wasn't well received by the then Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI. Ganguly, the then BCCI chief, had revealed that he had insisted Kohli reconsider his decision of quitting as T20I captain; something which was denied by Kohli. Thus, this led to Kohli vs Ganguly spat.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>'It became player against BCCI'</strong></p>

<p>In an exclusive sting operation carried out by Zee Media, BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma has now&nbsp;opened up extensively on this and made a big claim. The BCCI chief selector made it clear that Ganguly had asked Kohli to not quit as T20I captain in a video conference but the latter probably didn't listen or know about it. The former Indian cricketer added that 'Kohli tried to defame Ganguly in the media' during his press conference (by deliberately speaking about the change in captaincy) ahead of the SA tour as he&nbsp;felt it was the former Indian skipper&nbsp;behind his ODI captaincy sacking.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-r-ashwin-names-indias-star-batters-who-are-not-celebrated-enough-561883">IND vs AUS: R Ashwin names India's star batters who are 'not celebrated enough'</a></strong></p>

<p>Further, Chetan revealed that it was only a 'natural transition' and even he spoke to Kohli that the selectors wanted only one captain in white-ball formats. However, he feels the Indian star batter didn't take the change in the right way. In addition, he opined that the press conference changed the equation between Kohli and Ganguly. The former player made it clear that the former BCCI chief wasn't inclined towards Rohit Sharma as such but wasn't simply in favour of Kohli.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not only this, but Chetan also dropped bombshells regarding India's fitness test in the sting operation.</p>

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Chetan Sharma Sting Operation: The Virat Kohli vs BCCI spat was much talked about in late 2021. Ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Kohli announced that he will resign as the T20I captain post the showpiece event in the UAE.

Chetan Sharma Sting Operation: The Virat Kohli vs BCCI spat was much talked about in late 2021. Ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Kohli announced that he will resign as the T20I captain post the showpiece event in the UAE. After the T20 WC, India was set to tour South Africa -- for three Tests and ODIs each -- when the Chetan Sharma-led BCCI selection committee sacked Kohli as the ODI captain. This led to a huge debate, with many feeling Kohli was not treated properly. While Kohli presented his side of the story, that he was not informed well in advance about his sacking and was still eager to lead in the longer formats, his press conference with the reporters wasn't well received by the then Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI. Ganguly, the then BCCI chief, had revealed that he had insisted Kohli reconsider his decision of quitting as T20I captain; something which was denied by Kohli. Thus, this led to Kohli vs Ganguly spat. 'It became player against BCCI' In an exclusive sting operation carried out by Zee Media, BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma has now opened up extensively on this and made a big claim. The BCCI chief selector made it clear that Ganguly had asked Kohli to not quit as T20I captain in a video conference but the latter probably didn't listen or know about it. The former Indian cricketer added that 'Kohli tried to defame Ganguly in the media' during his press conference (by deliberately speaking about the change in captaincy) ahead of the SA tour as he felt it was the former Indian skipper behind his ODI captaincy sacking. Also Read: IND vs AUS: R Ashwin names India's star batters who are 'not celebrated enough' Further, Chetan revealed that it was only a 'natural transition' and even he spoke to Kohli that the selectors wanted only one captain in white-ball formats. However, he feels the Indian star batter didn't take the change in the right way. In addition, he opined that the press conference changed the equation between Kohli and Ganguly. The former player made it clear that the former BCCI chief wasn't inclined towards Rohit Sharma as such but wasn't simply in favour of Kohli. Not only this, but Chetan also dropped bombshells regarding India's fitness test in the sting operation. ×

Chetan Sharma quits as BCCI chief selector: What he said on Kohli vs Ganguly in Zee sting operation

<p>After the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE, Indian cricket was at its bottom. Following India's Super 12 round exit, Virat Kohli left captaincy in the shortest format -- a decision he had already taken and announced prior to the tournament. However, what followed was total mayhem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli was sacked as the ODI captain before India's departure for the tour of South Africa, in early December 2021. After the three-match Test series versus the Proteas, the star batter resigned as the red-ball skipper as well. This led to many speculating that all is not well between Kohli and the BCCI. Recently, BCCI treasurer Amul Singh Dhumal told a senior journalist that it was Kohli's decision to leave captaincy altogether and the board had no role to play.</p>

<p>"As far as the issue of captaincy is concerned, it was his call. He decided that&nbsp;<em>mujhe ab nahi karni hai captaincy</em>&nbsp;(that I don’t want to captain). It is possible that someone feels it’s best to do it after the World Cup, but that is their point of view. But he wanted to quit, and it was purely his decision. And we respected it. He has contributed so much to Indian cricket that everyone in the cricket board respects him. We would like to see Virat in action on the ground," Dhumal said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-sridhar-recalls-ms-dhonis-brilliant-move-ahead-of-team-indias-2013-champions-trophy-win-503587"><strong>R Sridhar recalls MS Dhoni's 'brilliant move' ahead of Team India's 2013 Champions Trophy win</strong></a></p>

<p>Ever since Kohli left captaincy altogether, his form has been very poor. In the England tour, he failed to register a single half-century whereas his century-drought continues since late 2019.</p>

<p>In this regard, Dhumal said, "See… as far as Virat is concerned, he is not a simple player. He is a great and his contribution to Indian cricket is unparalleled. It is outstanding. So, such conversations (board is trying to sideline Kohli) keep taking place in the media and it does not affect us. We want him to return to form soon, and as far as team selection is concerned, we leave it to the selectors. It is their call as to how they want to go about it."</p>

<p>Kohli isn't part of India's ongoing white-ball tour of West Indies. He is expected to return for the Asia Cup 2022 edition, whose squad&nbsp;is likely to be announced on August 8.</p>


After the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE, Indian cricket was at its bottom. Following India's Super 12 round exit, Virat Kohli left captaincy in the shortest format -- a decision he had already taken and announced prior to the tournament.

After the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE, Indian cricket was at its bottom. Following India's Super 12 round exit, Virat Kohli left captaincy in the shortest format -- a decision he had already taken and announced prior to the tournament. However, what followed was total mayhem. Kohli was sacked as the ODI captain before India's departure for the tour of South Africa, in early December 2021. After the three-match Test series versus the Proteas, the star batter resigned as the red-ball skipper as well. This led to many speculating that all is not well between Kohli and the BCCI. Recently, BCCI treasurer Amul Singh Dhumal told a senior journalist that it was Kohli's decision to leave captaincy altogether and the board had no role to play. "As far as the issue of captaincy is concerned, it was his call. He decided that mujhe ab nahi karni hai captaincy (that I don’t want to captain). It is possible that someone feels it’s best to do it after the World Cup, but that is their point of view. But he wanted to quit, and it was purely his decision. And we respected it. He has contributed so much to Indian cricket that everyone in the cricket board respects him. We would like to see Virat in action on the ground," Dhumal said. ALSO READ | R Sridhar recalls MS Dhoni's 'brilliant move' ahead of Team India's 2013 Champions Trophy win Ever since Kohli left captaincy altogether, his form has been very poor. In the England tour, he failed to register a single half-century whereas his century-drought continues since late 2019. In this regard, Dhumal said, "See… as far as Virat is concerned, he is not a simple player. He is a great and his contribution to Indian cricket is unparalleled. It is outstanding. So, such conversations (board is trying to sideline Kohli) keep taking place in the media and it does not affect us. We want him to return to form soon, and as far as team selection is concerned, we leave it to the selectors. It is their call as to how they want to go about it." Kohli isn't part of India's ongoing white-ball tour of West Indies. He is expected to return for the Asia Cup 2022 edition, whose squad is likely to be announced on August 8.

'I don't want to lead': BCCI treasurer reveals it was Virat Kohli's decision to leave India captaincy

<p>Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club when he takes on the field during the national side's first Test versus Sri Lanka, in Mohali, on March 04. The 33-year-old will join an elite list of Indians, spearheaded by Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, by featuring in his 100th outing in whites.</p>

<p>Kohli will join Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, VVS Laxman, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma in the 100-Test club. So far, he has amassed 7,962 runs in 99 games -- at an average of over 50 -- with 27 hundreds and 28 half-centuries.</p>

<p>Along with his splendid run with the bat, Kohli is also India's most successful Test captain. He signed off as the Test captain recently, resigning from the post earlier this year, with 40 wins from 68 encounters. Ahead of his landmark Test match, BCCI chief Ganguly heaped praise on Kohli and shared a special message for him.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-sri-lanka-virat-kohli-reflects-on-his-journey-ahead-of-historic-100th-test-watch-458601">India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli reflects on his journey ahead of historic 100th Test - WATCH</a></strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is a huge landmark in any cricketer’s career. Playing a hundred Test matches is something you dream of when you start playing for the country. It’s a great moment for Virat, it’s a great moment for Indian cricket. I have personally been in this situation and realized how humongous and momentous this is personally for any cricketer," stated the former cricketer.</p>

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<p>"Virat’s had a great journey. Starting 10-11 years ago and getting to where he has reached today is an exceptional achievement. On behalf of BCCI and also a former captain and player who has played 100 Test matches and more, I wish him all the very best," Ganguly added. "He has had a fantastic career and he is still got some time left to achieve the greater milestone and I hope he continues doing that. Congratulations to him, his family, his coach and all those who were involved in his cricketing career," he concluded.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-100th-test-rohit-sharma-shares-his-best-memory-of-former-indian-captain-in-whites-458539"><strong>Virat Kohli 100th Test: Rohit Sharma shares his best memory of former Indian captain in whites</strong></a></p>

<p>Kohli also reacted to his historic feat. In a video posted by the BCCI, on Thursday (March 03), he said, "I honestly never thought I would play 100 Test matches. It has been a long journey. We played a lot of cricket over the course of playing those 100 Test matches. A lot of international cricket. I am just grateful that I've been able to make it to 100. God has been kind. I have worked really hard for my fitness. It's a big moment for me, for my family, for my coach, who is also very happy and very proud of this Test match as long as I am concerned."</p>

<p>"I never grew up thinking that I have to score small runs, the idea was to score big runs. I scored a lot of double hundreds in junior cricket. My idea was to bat long and I enjoyed doing that. These things took a lot out of you and it revealed your true character. Test cricket needed to stay alive, for me, this is real cricket," he added.</p>


Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club when he takes on the field during the national side's first Test versus Sri Lanka, in Mohali, on March 04.

Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club when he takes on the field during the national side's first Test versus Sri Lanka, in Mohali, on March 04. The 33-year-old will join an elite list of Indians, spearheaded by Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, by featuring in his 100th outing in whites. Kohli will join Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, VVS Laxman, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma in the 100-Test club. So far, he has amassed 7,962 runs in 99 games -- at an average of over 50 -- with 27 hundreds and 28 half-centuries. Along with his splendid run with the bat, Kohli is also India's most successful Test captain. He signed off as the Test captain recently, resigning from the post earlier this year, with 40 wins from 68 encounters. Ahead of his landmark Test match, BCCI chief Ganguly heaped praise on Kohli and shared a special message for him. ALSO READ | India vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli reflects on his journey ahead of historic 100th Test - WATCH "It is a huge landmark in any cricketer’s career. Playing a hundred Test matches is something you dream of when you start playing for the country. It’s a great moment for Virat, it’s a great moment for Indian cricket. I have personally been in this situation and realized how humongous and momentous this is personally for any cricketer," stated the former cricketer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam) × "Virat’s had a great journey. Starting 10-11 years ago and getting to where he has reached today is an exceptional achievement. On behalf of BCCI and also a former captain and player who has played 100 Test matches and more, I wish him all the very best," Ganguly added. "He has had a fantastic career and he is still got some time left to achieve the greater milestone and I hope he continues doing that. Congratulations to him, his family, his coach and all those who were involved in his cricketing career," he concluded. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli 100th Test: Rohit Sharma shares his best memory of former Indian captain in whites Kohli also reacted to his historic feat. In a video posted by the BCCI, on Thursday (March 03), he said, "I honestly never thought I would play 100 Test matches. It has been a long journey. We played a lot of cricket over the course of playing those 100 Test matches. A lot of international cricket. I am just grateful that I've been able to make it to 100. God has been kind. I have worked really hard for my fitness. It's a big moment for me, for my family, for my coach, who is also very happy and very proud of this Test match as long as I am concerned." "I never grew up thinking that I have to score small runs, the idea was to score big runs. I scored a lot of double hundreds in junior cricket. My idea was to bat long and I enjoyed doing that. These things took a lot out of you and it revealed your true character. Test cricket needed to stay alive, for me, this is real cricket," he added.

Great moment for Indian cricket: Ganguly shares special message for Kohli ahead of his 100th Test - WATCH

<p>It wasn't quite a smooth transition in Indian cricket when Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri-era came to an end, slowly making&nbsp;way for the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's alliance. When Kohli resigned as the T20I captain and Rohit was named his successor, the Indian cricket fans were in for a rollercoaster ride as many changed followed suit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In late 2021, BCCI removed Kohli as the ODI captain, making Rohit the&nbsp;white-ball skipper. While it opened a pandora of box -- with the Kohli vs BCCI row gaining much limelight -- the dust seems to have settled down on the&nbsp;communication mishap between BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly-selection committee and the former captain. The changes in the leadership group, however, continued&nbsp;as Kohli also resigned as the Test captain in mid-January 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, Rohit has&nbsp;become&nbsp;the all-format skipper with Dravid being in his shadow as the head coach. Amid the unnecessary chaos and negativity, India have been on a roll at home with a forgettable&nbsp;South Africa tour the only blip in between. However, things are now slowly starting to shape up and falling into places within the national team.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-would-give-me-important-overs-jasprit-bumrah-reveals-how-rohit-sharma-helped-in-his-growth-456807"><strong>He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth</strong></a></p>

<p>After their SA annihilation, Team India has been on a roll -- although in home conditions. Rohit-led India whitewashed West Indies in the home white-ball series and the hosts have already gained an unassailable lead in the ongoing three T20Is versus Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the SL series also in their grasp, Rohit-Dravid is yet to lose an international game as&nbsp;captain-coach. In fact, India are currently enjoying their longest unbeaten streak in the shortest format&nbsp;(11).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, what is the duo doing right despite much chaos in their brief partnership? (If&nbsp;<em>the BCCI vs Kohli row is now on the backburner, out-of-favour Wriddiman Saha's revelations on his communication with Dravid, Ganguly, etc. have also made a lot of noise</em>)&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Role clarity, focus on flexibility and plugging small holes</strong></em></p>

<p>In the recent past, Rohit-Dravid have spoken a lot on giving bio-bubble breaks to the players (currently enjoyed by&nbsp;Kohli, Md Shami, Rishabh Pant),&nbsp;role clarity and redeveloping a proper communication process&nbsp;(<em>It is to be noted that despite the success enjoyed by Shastri-Kohli, their partnership highlighted communication gap between players and team management on several occasions:&nbsp;during M Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane's respective omissions, etc.</em>).&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>Backing even a non-regular like Sanju Samson</b></p>

<p>Ahead of the SL T20Is, captain Rohit talked about being the team's plans of being flexible by relentlessly backing even their non-regular players&nbsp;ahead of&nbsp;the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit opined on Sanju Samson and told the reporters, "That guy has got talent, man. Whenever I have seen him bat in IPL and all of that, he has just produced an innings where everyone goes over the moon watching it. So he has got the skill set to succeed. That is the whole point about the sport. A lot of people have skill set, lot of people have talent but how you utilise them is the most critical par."</p>

<p>"His back-foot play is superb, some of the shots you must have seen during the IPL, the pick-up pull, the cut shots, standing and delivering over bowler’s head. Those kinds of shots are not easy to play and I believe when we go to Australia, you need those kind of shot-making ability and Samson does has it in him. I just hope that he utilises his potential to the maximum,” added Rohit.</p>

<p>(<em>Sanju repaid the faith with a blistering 25-ball 39 in the second and penultimate encounter versus the Islanders</em>).</p>

<p><b>Dropped but no way out of reckoning...</b></p>

<p>With Shreyas Iyer not making it to the playing XI in India's 1st T20I versus West Indies, Rohit made it clear that the batter remains a vital cog in the setup. "Someone like Shreyas Iyer&nbsp;is sitting out, very hard on him not making it to playing eleven, but we needed someone to bowl in the middle which is why we couldn't get him in. It's always nice with that kind of competition going around and a lot of the guys are missing out as well. I'm happy to have that kind of challenges rather than not having players available and not in form," he had told at the post-match presentation.</p>

<p>(<em>Iyer is in rollicking form&nbsp;with two electrifying half-centuries&nbsp;in the SL T20Is</em>).</p>

<p><strong>Dravid on Saha's omission&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Dravid welcomed the big question on Saha's Test omission -- without losing his cool&nbsp;-- and told the reporters after the WI T20Is, "I’m actually not hurt at all, because I have deep respect for Wridhhiman Saha and his achievements, his contribution to Indian cricket. My conversation with him actually came from that place. I think he deserved honesty and he deserved clarity. These are conversations I constantly have with players. I don’t expect players to always like messages or to agree with everything that I have to say about them. That’s not how it works."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/theyre-taking-team-india-in-a-fabulous-direction-dinesh-karthik-lauds-rahul-dravid-rohit-sharma-456046"><strong>They're taking Team India in a fabulous direction: Dinesh Karthik lauds Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma</strong></a></p>

<p>Thus, the team is now slowly plugging the gaps which were previously present in the Indian team, under Kohli-Shastri.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Highlighting the same, Dinesh Karthik recently&nbsp;told the ICC, "The new captain and there's a new coach, I think they are taking the team in a fabulous direction. They've plugged small holes, which were probably there previously, and that has been the beautiful part about it. And along the way, in the journey, they've managed to become No.1."</p>

<p>Time and again, Rohit-Dravid have not shied away from stressing that&nbsp;they are preparing the team for the 2022 T20 WC, albeit with some tinkering in team combination and roles&nbsp;(In the previous captain-coach pairing,&nbsp;one eye was on the future but never openly declared in public; showcasing a rather confused mindset).</p>

<p>The current Indian team is slowly picking the lying pieces and moving ahead. The Men in Blue are trying to experiment with their template (which resulted in their first-round exit in the 2021 T20 WC), trying to balance out between youth and experienced campaigners,&nbsp;identifying new leaders, tinkering roles of different individuals to not increase their options but&nbsp;to broaden the horizons of the resources available.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/they-were-standing-there-for-me-ishan-kishan-credits-rohit-dravid-for-backing-him-despite-poor-form-456502"><strong>They were standing there for me: Ishan Kishan credits Rohit, Dravid for backing him despite poor form</strong></a></p>

<p>After the WI home series, coach Dravid confirmed that the team management 'don't want to cast their net too wide'; to avoid confusion and irregularity in team selection.&nbsp;"There is no set time frame to freeze on a team. We don’t want to cast our net too wide but we also don’t want to just restrict ourselves to 15 players. By the time we get to the [T20] World Cup, we need to have a bunch of guys who have at least played 10-20 games," the former captain stated.</p>

<p>Surely, Dravid-Rohit pairing is off to a flier. The real test is still miles away but they are not backing out from&nbsp;acknowledging&nbsp;the past mistakes and are boldly&nbsp;setting up new ways going forward.&nbsp;Sit back and relax guys...The road will clearly have more hurdles and speed-breakers but the Rohit-Dravid&nbsp;looks more suited to handle it all with a pragmatic and practical approach.</p>


It wasn't quite a smooth transition in Indian cricket when Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri-era came to an end, slowly making way for the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's alliance.

It wasn't quite a smooth transition in Indian cricket when Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri-era came to an end, slowly making way for the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's alliance. When Kohli resigned as the T20I captain and Rohit was named his successor, the Indian cricket fans were in for a rollercoaster ride as many changed followed suit. In late 2021, BCCI removed Kohli as the ODI captain, making Rohit the white-ball skipper. While it opened a pandora of box -- with the Kohli vs BCCI row gaining much limelight -- the dust seems to have settled down on the communication mishap between BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly-selection committee and the former captain. The changes in the leadership group, however, continued as Kohli also resigned as the Test captain in mid-January 2022. At present, Rohit has become the all-format skipper with Dravid being in his shadow as the head coach. Amid the unnecessary chaos and negativity, India have been on a roll at home with a forgettable South Africa tour the only blip in between. However, things are now slowly starting to shape up and falling into places within the national team. ALSO READ | He would give me important overs: Jasprit Bumrah reveals how Rohit Sharma helped in his growth After their SA annihilation, Team India has been on a roll -- although in home conditions. Rohit-led India whitewashed West Indies in the home white-ball series and the hosts have already gained an unassailable lead in the ongoing three T20Is versus Sri Lanka. With the SL series also in their grasp, Rohit-Dravid is yet to lose an international game as captain-coach. In fact, India are currently enjoying their longest unbeaten streak in the shortest format (11). Thus, what is the duo doing right despite much chaos in their brief partnership? (If the BCCI vs Kohli row is now on the backburner, out-of-favour Wriddiman Saha's revelations on his communication with Dravid, Ganguly, etc. have also made a lot of noise) Role clarity, focus on flexibility and plugging small holes In the recent past, Rohit-Dravid have spoken a lot on giving bio-bubble breaks to the players (currently enjoyed by Kohli, Md Shami, Rishabh Pant), role clarity and redeveloping a proper communication process (It is to be noted that despite the success enjoyed by Shastri-Kohli, their partnership highlighted communication gap between players and team management on several occasions: during M Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane's respective omissions, etc.). Backing even a non-regular like Sanju Samson Ahead of the SL T20Is, captain Rohit talked about being the team's plans of being flexible by relentlessly backing even their non-regular players ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rohit opined on Sanju Samson and told the reporters, "That guy has got talent, man. Whenever I have seen him bat in IPL and all of that, he has just produced an innings where everyone goes over the moon watching it. So he has got the skill set to succeed. That is the whole point about the sport. A lot of people have skill set, lot of people have talent but how you utilise them is the most critical par." "His back-foot play is superb, some of the shots you must have seen during the IPL, the pick-up pull, the cut shots, standing and delivering over bowler’s head. Those kinds of shots are not easy to play and I believe when we go to Australia, you need those kind of shot-making ability and Samson does has it in him. I just hope that he utilises his potential to the maximum,” added Rohit. (Sanju repaid the faith with a blistering 25-ball 39 in the second and penultimate encounter versus the Islanders). Dropped but no way out of reckoning... With Shreyas Iyer not making it to the playing XI in India's 1st T20I versus West Indies, Rohit made it clear that the batter remains a vital cog in the setup. "Someone like Shreyas Iyer is sitting out, very hard on him not making it to playing eleven, but we needed someone to bowl in the middle which is why we couldn't get him in. It's always nice with that kind of competition going around and a lot of the guys are missing out as well. I'm happy to have that kind of challenges rather than not having players available and not in form," he had told at the post-match presentation. (Iyer is in rollicking form with two electrifying half-centuries in the SL T20Is). Dravid on Saha's omission Dravid welcomed the big question on Saha's Test omission -- without losing his cool -- and told the reporters after the WI T20Is, "I’m actually not hurt at all, because I have deep respect for Wridhhiman Saha and his achievements, his contribution to Indian cricket. My conversation with him actually came from that place. I think he deserved honesty and he deserved clarity. These are conversations I constantly have with players. I don’t expect players to always like messages or to agree with everything that I have to say about them. That’s not how it works." ALSO READ | They're taking Team India in a fabulous direction: Dinesh Karthik lauds Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma Thus, the team is now slowly plugging the gaps which were previously present in the Indian team, under Kohli-Shastri. Highlighting the same, Dinesh Karthik recently told the ICC, "The new captain and there's a new coach, I think they are taking the team in a fabulous direction. They've plugged small holes, which were probably there previously, and that has been the beautiful part about it. And along the way, in the journey, they've managed to become No.1." Time and again, Rohit-Dravid have not shied away from stressing that they are preparing the team for the 2022 T20 WC, albeit with some tinkering in team combination and roles (In the previous captain-coach pairing, one eye was on the future but never openly declared in public; showcasing a rather confused mindset). The current Indian team is slowly picking the lying pieces and moving ahead. The Men in Blue are trying to experiment with their template (which resulted in their first-round exit in the 2021 T20 WC), trying to balance out between youth and experienced campaigners, identifying new leaders, tinkering roles of different individuals to not increase their options but to broaden the horizons of the resources available. ALSO READ | They were standing there for me: Ishan Kishan credits Rohit, Dravid for backing him despite poor form After the WI home series, coach Dravid confirmed that the team management 'don't want to cast their net too wide'; to avoid confusion and irregularity in team selection. "There is no set time frame to freeze on a team. We don’t want to cast our net too wide but we also don’t want to just restrict ourselves to 15 players. By the time we get to the [T20] World Cup, we need to have a bunch of guys who have at least played 10-20 games," the former captain stated. Surely, Dravid-Rohit pairing is off to a flier. The real test is still miles away but they are not backing out from acknowledging the past mistakes and are boldly setting up new ways going forward. Sit back and relax guys...The road will clearly have more hurdles and speed-breakers but the Rohit-Dravid looks more suited to handle it all with a pragmatic and practical approach.

Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid partnership: A promising alliance focused on role clarity & plugging small holes

<p>BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has lauded Virat Kohli as the former captain is set to play his 100th Test during the forthcoming India-Sri Lanka series opener in Mohali, which gets underway on&nbsp;March 4 (Friday). Ahead of the Test series, which also marks the captaincy debut of Rohit Sharma in whites, Ganguly heaped praise on Kohli.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“To begin with, you need to be a very good player to get there,” Ganguly said while on a holiday with his family in London. “Very few people in Indian cricket have played 100 Test matches. It’s a fantastic landmark. Virat is a great player and deserves every bit of it.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-on-cusp-of-joining-sachin-tendulkar-rahul-dravid-co-in-elite-list-in-historic-100th-test-458045">Virat Kohli on cusp of joining Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid &amp; Co. in elite list in historic 100th Test</a></strong></p>

<p>The former Indian captain Ganguly asserted, “I haven’t played with him. But I have always followed his game. Having been involved in different capacities, I have always tracked his cricket. I have seen his career from when it started and how it took a different turn after a few years and it has now gone to greatness."</p>

<p>Kohli has often been compared with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Having played along with Tendulkar, Ganguly brushed aside all comparisons and said, "Expectations will always be there when you play at this level. I don’t compare different generations. But whatever number he has batted, whether it is No.4 in Test matches or No.3 in limited-overs cricket, he has batted marvelously."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-showed-no-signs-of-captaincy-burden-when-he-was-team-india-skipper-sunil-gavaskar-458085"><strong>Virat Kohli showed no signs of captaincy burden when he was Team India skipper: Sunil Gavaskar</strong></a></p>

<p>He added, "His technique, his positivity, his footwork, his balance…I like all of that. Above all, the way Virat changed his game after 2014 in England when he was struggling. I saw that Test series because I was working as a commentator there. And he had a remarkable five years after that. That’s what normally happens. I saw that with Rahul Dravid between 2002 to 2005. You see great players having these phases where they are at their peak. Sachin had many.”</p>

<p>Interestingly, Kohli's 100th Test will also be his first as a player after seven long years of his captaincy tenure in whites. In this regard, Ganguly said, "It does require some adjustments. But I don’t think it’s very difficult. He will come back and get hundreds. I know about all this talk, with him not getting a hundred for over two years. But he is too good a player to consistently go through this. He will get past this phase too. He knows how to get hundreds otherwise he would not have got 70 of them. As a former player, I know he will start scoring them again. He has enormous ability, so it’s a matter of time."</p>

<p>Kohli will become the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club. He will, thus, join the likes of&nbsp;Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Ishant Sharma, Dilip Vengsarkar and Anil Kumble.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India will, thus, look to give Kohli a perfect present on his landmark Test with a thumping win in the series opener versus the Islanders. The second and final Test will be held in Bengaluru, from March 12-16.</p>


BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has lauded Virat Kohli as the former captain is set to play his 100th Test during the forthcoming India-Sri Lanka series opener in Mohali, which gets underway on March 4 (Friday).

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has lauded Virat Kohli as the former captain is set to play his 100th Test during the forthcoming India-Sri Lanka series opener in Mohali, which gets underway on March 4 (Friday). Ahead of the Test series, which also marks the captaincy debut of Rohit Sharma in whites, Ganguly heaped praise on Kohli. “To begin with, you need to be a very good player to get there,” Ganguly said while on a holiday with his family in London. “Very few people in Indian cricket have played 100 Test matches. It’s a fantastic landmark. Virat is a great player and deserves every bit of it.” ALSO READ | Virat Kohli on cusp of joining Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid & Co. in elite list in historic 100th Test The former Indian captain Ganguly asserted, “I haven’t played with him. But I have always followed his game. Having been involved in different capacities, I have always tracked his cricket. I have seen his career from when it started and how it took a different turn after a few years and it has now gone to greatness." Kohli has often been compared with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Having played along with Tendulkar, Ganguly brushed aside all comparisons and said, "Expectations will always be there when you play at this level. I don’t compare different generations. But whatever number he has batted, whether it is No.4 in Test matches or No.3 in limited-overs cricket, he has batted marvelously." ALSO READ | Virat Kohli showed no signs of captaincy burden when he was Team India skipper: Sunil Gavaskar He added, "His technique, his positivity, his footwork, his balance…I like all of that. Above all, the way Virat changed his game after 2014 in England when he was struggling. I saw that Test series because I was working as a commentator there. And he had a remarkable five years after that. That’s what normally happens. I saw that with Rahul Dravid between 2002 to 2005. You see great players having these phases where they are at their peak. Sachin had many.” Interestingly, Kohli's 100th Test will also be his first as a player after seven long years of his captaincy tenure in whites. In this regard, Ganguly said, "It does require some adjustments. But I don’t think it’s very difficult. He will come back and get hundreds. I know about all this talk, with him not getting a hundred for over two years. But he is too good a player to consistently go through this. He will get past this phase too. He knows how to get hundreds otherwise he would not have got 70 of them. As a former player, I know he will start scoring them again. He has enormous ability, so it’s a matter of time." Kohli will become the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club. He will, thus, join the likes of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Ishant Sharma, Dilip Vengsarkar and Anil Kumble. India will, thus, look to give Kohli a perfect present on his landmark Test with a thumping win in the series opener versus the Islanders. The second and final Test will be held in Bengaluru, from March 12-16.

Sourav Ganguly lauds Virat Kohli as former captain set to play 100th Test during SL series opener

<p>Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year.</p>

<p>During all this, Kohli's relations with the BCCI has downhill. With him contradicting&nbsp;BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims on his T20I captaincy resignation, Kohli's explosive presser in early December 2021 exposed the gap between him and the top board officials. Now, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the whole controversy.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/remember-ms-dhoni-saying-very-clearly-dinesh-karthik-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-captaincy-saga-449603"><strong>'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga</strong></a></p>

<p>Gambhir, who doesn't mince his words, told Times Now, "I think this could've been sorted behind closed doors as well. It was an internal battle. It was a great TRP for a lot of new channels but that's fine. If you go to the depth of it, the matter can easily be solved. It's not that big of an issue."</p>

<p>"Honestly, I don't see any controversy which was created. Talking about captaincy, I think Virat should have continued as red-ball captain. But for white-ball captaincy, once he decided to let go of T20I captaincy, he had to let go of ODI captaincy as well. The BCCI and the selectors were right from the white-ball point of view. But it was Virat's personal decision to step down from Test captaincy, which he should have continued," he further added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-ms-dhoni-was-in-the-team-it-was-not-like-virat-kohli-on-giving-up-team-india-captaincy-449252"><strong>'When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like.....': Virat Kohli on giving up Team India captaincy</strong></a></p>

<p>Recently, Kohli had also opened up on his decision to give up Team India captaincy altogether by resigning as the Test skipper. He cited MS Dhoni's example&nbsp;and said on an episode of 'Fireside Chat with VK', "See, I think firstly you need to have a complete understanding of what you set out to achieve and whether you have achieved those targets or not. Everything has a tenure and time period, so you have to be aware of it. As a batter, you might be able to give more to the team, so take pride in that."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further opined, "You do not need to be a captain to be the leader. When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like he was not the leader, he was still the guy from whom we wanted to have input. To win or not win is not in your hands, the striving for excellence and to be better every day, is not something you can do short term. When it comes to a culture, it will last beyond your playing years and your responsibility."</p>


Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year.

Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year. During all this, Kohli's relations with the BCCI has downhill. With him contradicting BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims on his T20I captaincy resignation, Kohli's explosive presser in early December 2021 exposed the gap between him and the top board officials. Now, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the whole controversy. ALSO READ | 'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga Gambhir, who doesn't mince his words, told Times Now, "I think this could've been sorted behind closed doors as well. It was an internal battle. It was a great TRP for a lot of new channels but that's fine. If you go to the depth of it, the matter can easily be solved. It's not that big of an issue." "Honestly, I don't see any controversy which was created. Talking about captaincy, I think Virat should have continued as red-ball captain. But for white-ball captaincy, once he decided to let go of T20I captaincy, he had to let go of ODI captaincy as well. The BCCI and the selectors were right from the white-ball point of view. But it was Virat's personal decision to step down from Test captaincy, which he should have continued," he further added. ALSO READ | 'When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like.....': Virat Kohli on giving up Team India captaincy Recently, Kohli had also opened up on his decision to give up Team India captaincy altogether by resigning as the Test skipper. He cited MS Dhoni's example and said on an episode of 'Fireside Chat with VK', "See, I think firstly you need to have a complete understanding of what you set out to achieve and whether you have achieved those targets or not. Everything has a tenure and time period, so you have to be aware of it. As a batter, you might be able to give more to the team, so take pride in that." He further opined, "You do not need to be a captain to be the leader. When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like he was not the leader, he was still the guy from whom we wanted to have input. To win or not win is not in your hands, the striving for excellence and to be better every day, is not something you can do short term. When it comes to a culture, it will last beyond your playing years and your responsibility."

It was an internal battle: Gautam Gambhir doesn't mince his words on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row

<p>Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket. Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last as the captain in the shortest format. He was replaced by Rohit Sharma before Hitman was also named the ODI captain following Kohli's sacking in early December, 2021.</p>

<p>The BCCI selectors sacked Kohli as the ODI captain, with a view to have only one white-ball skipper going forward. Following that, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly stated that he had requested Kohli to not quit as T20I captain, however, the latter denied all such claims during his explosive presser before India's tour of South Africa, on December 15.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli also stated that he had no prior communication from the national selectors before being sacked as the ODI captain. While the India-SA Tests ended amid tension between Kohli and the board-national selectors, the 33-year-old went onto resign as the Test captain as well following the red-ball series in the rainbow nation, on January 15.</p>

<p>Thus, the tension between Kohli and the BCCI is evident from the outside. Kapil Dev, India's first World Cup-winning captain, has now joined the bandwagon and reacted to the whole controversy. He feels both sides should talk it out and sort things out, keeping the country and team in mind.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/playing-against-india-is-md-rizwan-recalls-pakistans-historic-triumph-over-men-in-blue-in-2021-t20wc-447525"><strong>'Playing against India is...': Md Rizwan recalls Pakistan's historic triumph over Men in Blue in 2021 T20WC</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<em>The Week</em>&nbsp;magazine, Kapil pointed out, "They should have sorted out the issues between them. Pick up the phone, talk to each other, put the country and team before yourself. In the beginning, I also got everything I wanted. But sometimes, you may not get it. That should not mean that you leave the captaincy. If he has left it because of that, then I do not know what to say. He is a fabulous player; [I want to] watch him play so much more and score runs, especially in Test cricket.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-vs-bcci-is-there-any-real-winner-in-this-tussle-446528">Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle?</a></strong></p>

<p>Rahul Dravid-led India recently ended their dismal tour of SA. They lost the Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. With many blaming the Kohli vs BCCI row for India's downfall in the African nation, the Indian cricket loyalists hope that the matter is sorted out at the earliest to prevent the team's downfall going forward.</p>


Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket.

Indian cricket is not at its best at the moment. Following the Virat Kohli-led Indian team's shambolic performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE, many changes took place in the Indian cricket. Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last as the captain in the shortest format. He was replaced by Rohit Sharma before Hitman was also named the ODI captain following Kohli's sacking in early December, 2021. The BCCI selectors sacked Kohli as the ODI captain, with a view to have only one white-ball skipper going forward. Following that, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly stated that he had requested Kohli to not quit as T20I captain, however, the latter denied all such claims during his explosive presser before India's tour of South Africa, on December 15. Kohli also stated that he had no prior communication from the national selectors before being sacked as the ODI captain. While the India-SA Tests ended amid tension between Kohli and the board-national selectors, the 33-year-old went onto resign as the Test captain as well following the red-ball series in the rainbow nation, on January 15. Thus, the tension between Kohli and the BCCI is evident from the outside. Kapil Dev, India's first World Cup-winning captain, has now joined the bandwagon and reacted to the whole controversy. He feels both sides should talk it out and sort things out, keeping the country and team in mind. ALSO READ | 'Playing against India is...': Md Rizwan recalls Pakistan's historic triumph over Men in Blue in 2021 T20WC Speaking to The Week magazine, Kapil pointed out, "They should have sorted out the issues between them. Pick up the phone, talk to each other, put the country and team before yourself. In the beginning, I also got everything I wanted. But sometimes, you may not get it. That should not mean that you leave the captaincy. If he has left it because of that, then I do not know what to say. He is a fabulous player; [I want to] watch him play so much more and score runs, especially in Test cricket. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli vs BCCI: Is there any real winner in this tussle? Rahul Dravid-led India recently ended their dismal tour of SA. They lost the Tests 2-1 and were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. With many blaming the Kohli vs BCCI row for India's downfall in the African nation, the Indian cricket loyalists hope that the matter is sorted out at the earliest to prevent the team's downfall going forward.

Pick up the phone and talk: Kapil Dev opines on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row, says 'put country, team before self'

<p>India head coach Rahul Dravid recently reacted to the raging row between Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over ODI captaincy. Kohli was sacked as ODI captain earlier this month with Rohit Sharma taking over. Ever since his sacking, Indian cricket has been engulfed in one of the&nbsp;biggest controversies&nbsp;in recent times.</p>

<p>Speaking at a press conference ahead of India's departure for the South Africa tour, Kohli had contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's comments about his sacking as ODI captain. Kohli debunked Ganguly's claims that the BCCI president had asked him to not give up India's T20 captaincy in October this year. The Indian Test skipper also revealed there was no prior communication from the BCCI about the change in ODI captaincy.</p>

<p>Kohli said he was informed about the decision only 90 minutes before it was made official. Kohli's comments in public put both Ganguly and the BCCI in a spot of bother ahead of India's tour of South Africa. India head coach Dravid broke his silence on the controversy for the first time on Saturday.</p>

<p>Dravid refused to reveal details of his conversations with Kohli in the build-up to the decision and said the move was a call from the selectors. The head coach also said he would not like to discuss his internal conversations in the media.</p>

<p>"To be honest, that's the role of the selectors. Not going to get into conversations I might or might not have had. Not the place or time for that, or for discussing my internal conversations in the media," said Dravid in the presser.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ajinkya-rahane-seems-to-be-in-good-space-rahul-dravid-on-batters-rough-patch-ahead-of-sa-test-series-439913">&nbsp;Rahane seems to be in good space: Rahul Dravid on batter's rough patch ahead of SA Test series</a></p>

<p>Dravid also lauded Kohli for leading the Indian Test team extremely well. He said the Indian captain has played a massive role in India's recent domination in the longest format and is someone who loves Test cricket. Kohli is India's most successful Test captain of all time with 39 wins in 66 matches as skipper.</p>

<p>"We want to keep improving and Virat has played a huge role in that. He has been fantastic as a captain and leader. He is one of those people who loves test cricket," Dravid said.</p>

<p>.</p>


India head coach Rahul Dravid recently reacted to the raging row between Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over ODI captaincy. Kohli was sacked as ODI captain earlier this month with Rohit Sharma taking over.

India head coach Rahul Dravid recently reacted to the raging row between Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over ODI captaincy. Kohli was sacked as ODI captain earlier this month with Rohit Sharma taking over. Ever since his sacking, Indian cricket has been engulfed in one of the biggest controversies in recent times. Speaking at a press conference ahead of India's departure for the South Africa tour, Kohli had contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's comments about his sacking as ODI captain. Kohli debunked Ganguly's claims that the BCCI president had asked him to not give up India's T20 captaincy in October this year. The Indian Test skipper also revealed there was no prior communication from the BCCI about the change in ODI captaincy. Kohli said he was informed about the decision only 90 minutes before it was made official. Kohli's comments in public put both Ganguly and the BCCI in a spot of bother ahead of India's tour of South Africa. India head coach Dravid broke his silence on the controversy for the first time on Saturday. Dravid refused to reveal details of his conversations with Kohli in the build-up to the decision and said the move was a call from the selectors. The head coach also said he would not like to discuss his internal conversations in the media. "To be honest, that's the role of the selectors. Not going to get into conversations I might or might not have had. Not the place or time for that, or for discussing my internal conversations in the media," said Dravid in the presser. Also Read: Rahane seems to be in good space: Rahul Dravid on batter's rough patch ahead of SA Test series Dravid also lauded Kohli for leading the Indian Test team extremely well. He said the Indian captain has played a massive role in India's recent domination in the longest format and is someone who loves Test cricket. Kohli is India's most successful Test captain of all time with 39 wins in 66 matches as skipper. "We want to keep improving and Virat has played a huge role in that. He has been fantastic as a captain and leader. He is one of those people who loves test cricket," Dravid said. .

'That's the role of selectors': Rahul Dravid reacts to ODI captaincy row between Virat Kohli and BCCI

<p>Virat Kohli's explosive press conference ahead of India's upcoming Test series against South Africa has put the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a spot of bother amid the raging controversy over the change in team India's ODI captaincy. Kohli was replaced with Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain of the Indian team earlier this month.</p>

<p>While the decision didn't come as a surprise to many, the manner in which it was announced left many disappointed. During his bold presser, Kohli contradicted the claims of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly that he was asked not to give up T20I captaincy and also revealed he was informed about his sacking as ODI captain just 90 minutes before it was made official.</p>

<p>Kohli stated that there was no prior discussion between him and the selectors or Ganguly, contradicting the BCCI president's comments. Reacting to the controversy, former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winner Kirti Azad has taken a dig at the current national selection panel led by Chetan Sharma.</p>

<p>"If this was to be decided by the selectors, they should have gone up to the president. Generally, what happens is that when a team is selected – when I was also a national selector – we would select the team and go to the president of the board. He would see, okay it, sign it and then it would be announced. But it is always the custom that a team after being selected goes to have a look," Azad was quoted as saying by News18.</p>

<p>The former all-rounder said the current member of the national selection panel, who have decided to remove Kohli as the ODI captain of the Indian team, have not played half the number of international matches as the Indian Test skipper combined. Azad said the selectors should have informed Ganguly about their decision and an informal conversation with Kohli could have been the best way to deal with the situation.</p>

<p>"So obviously, if you are changing the captain for any format, you write and inform the president. Virat is not upset, but I feel he is hurt for the way he has been informed. So once it went to Sourav, he could have also unofficially spoken about it. You can understand, I don't want to say this. All the selectors are really great guys, but if you put their total number of matches, it won't be even half of what Virat has played," said the former India all-rounder.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-not-happy-with-virat-kohlis-comments-but-unlikely-to-take-hasty-step-ahead-of-south-africa-series-437626">BCCI not happy with Virat Kohli's comments but unlikely to take hasty step ahead of South Africa series</a></p>

<p>The BCCI has not yet responded to the contradicting claims by Kohli and Ganguly and has decided to not take any hasty step considering the team's morale ahead of the South Africa Test series. The three-match Test series between India and South Africa is all set to get underway from December 26.</p>


Virat Kohli's explosive press conference ahead of India's upcoming Test series against South Africa has put the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a spot of bother amid the raging controversy over the change in team India's ODI captaincy.

Virat Kohli's explosive press conference ahead of India's upcoming Test series against South Africa has put the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a spot of bother amid the raging controversy over the change in team India's ODI captaincy. Kohli was replaced with Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain of the Indian team earlier this month. While the decision didn't come as a surprise to many, the manner in which it was announced left many disappointed. During his bold presser, Kohli contradicted the claims of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly that he was asked not to give up T20I captaincy and also revealed he was informed about his sacking as ODI captain just 90 minutes before it was made official. Kohli stated that there was no prior discussion between him and the selectors or Ganguly, contradicting the BCCI president's comments. Reacting to the controversy, former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winner Kirti Azad has taken a dig at the current national selection panel led by Chetan Sharma. "If this was to be decided by the selectors, they should have gone up to the president. Generally, what happens is that when a team is selected – when I was also a national selector – we would select the team and go to the president of the board. He would see, okay it, sign it and then it would be announced. But it is always the custom that a team after being selected goes to have a look," Azad was quoted as saying by News18. The former all-rounder said the current member of the national selection panel, who have decided to remove Kohli as the ODI captain of the Indian team, have not played half the number of international matches as the Indian Test skipper combined. Azad said the selectors should have informed Ganguly about their decision and an informal conversation with Kohli could have been the best way to deal with the situation. "So obviously, if you are changing the captain for any format, you write and inform the president. Virat is not upset, but I feel he is hurt for the way he has been informed. So once it went to Sourav, he could have also unofficially spoken about it. You can understand, I don't want to say this. All the selectors are really great guys, but if you put their total number of matches, it won't be even half of what Virat has played," said the former India all-rounder. Also Read: BCCI not happy with Virat Kohli's comments but unlikely to take hasty step ahead of South Africa series The BCCI has not yet responded to the contradicting claims by Kohli and Ganguly and has decided to not take any hasty step considering the team's morale ahead of the South Africa Test series. The three-match Test series between India and South Africa is all set to get underway from December 26.

All selectors put together have not played half the number of matches Virat Kohli has: Ex-India all-rounder

<p>The Board of Control for Cricket in Inda (BCCI) is not hurrying to make a statement or take a hasty decision amid the controversy surrounding Virat Kohli's removal as team India's ODI captain. Kohli was in the centre of an explosive press conference on Wednesday ahead of India's tour of South Africa where he came out clear on the rumours floating around regarding his sacking and also contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's claims.</p>

<p>Kohli during the press conference said he was never asked to not give up the T20I captaincy of the Indian team, contrary to Ganguly's claim that the BCCI president had personally spoken to Kohli to not step down. The Indian Test skipper also informed the journalists present in the presser that he was made aware of the change in ODI captaincy only 90 minutes before it was made official.</p>

<p>As per a report in PTI, no one in BCCI is happy with Kohli's comments during the press conference where he refuted the board's president's claims. While the cricket fraternity awaits BCCI's response in the matter, the board has decided not to take any hasty step which can impact the Indian team's morale ahead of the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa.</p>

<p>"No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly had told reporters on Thursday when asked about Kohli's comments contradicting his claims.</p>

<p>As per PTI, the board president and BCCI secretary Jay Shah were on a video call with the BCCI office-bearers on Wednesday where Kohli's comments were discussed in detail and it was decided that the BCCI will not release any official statement or conduct a press conference in the matter.</p>

<p>"Expert opinion was taken on how to deal with the sensitive matter as it also involves the respect of a president's office. The BCCI knows that a Test series is round the corner and any hasty decision or statement from them could affect the morale of the team," a senior BCCI source told PTI.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/safer-option-wouldve-been-to-side-with-ganguly-tabraiz-shamsi-lauds-virat-kohli-amid-odi-captaincy-row-437584">'Safer option would've been to side with Ganguly': Tabraiz Shamsi lauds&nbsp;Kohli amid ODI captaincy row</a></p>

<p>Many were expecting the BCCI to conduct a press conference with the head of the selection panel - Chetan Sharma in it to address the raging controversy after Kohli and Ganguly's contradicting statements. However, the board is unlikely to rush into action.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kohli, who rubbished the reports of him taking a break and skipping the ODI series against South Africa, reassured that he will extend his full support to new limited-overs captain Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid in taking Indian cricket forward.</p>

<p>Kohli also admitted that he understood why he was sacked as ODI captain as India failed to win an ICC trophy under his leadership.</p>

<p>(With agency inputs)</p>

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The Board of Control for Cricket in Inda (BCCI) is not hurrying to make a statement or take a hasty decision amid the controversy surrounding Virat Kohli's removal as team India's ODI captain.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Inda (BCCI) is not hurrying to make a statement or take a hasty decision amid the controversy surrounding Virat Kohli's removal as team India's ODI captain. Kohli was in the centre of an explosive press conference on Wednesday ahead of India's tour of South Africa where he came out clear on the rumours floating around regarding his sacking and also contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's claims. Kohli during the press conference said he was never asked to not give up the T20I captaincy of the Indian team, contrary to Ganguly's claim that the BCCI president had personally spoken to Kohli to not step down. The Indian Test skipper also informed the journalists present in the presser that he was made aware of the change in ODI captaincy only 90 minutes before it was made official. As per a report in PTI, no one in BCCI is happy with Kohli's comments during the press conference where he refuted the board's president's claims. While the cricket fraternity awaits BCCI's response in the matter, the board has decided not to take any hasty step which can impact the Indian team's morale ahead of the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa. "No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI," Ganguly had told reporters on Thursday when asked about Kohli's comments contradicting his claims. As per PTI, the board president and BCCI secretary Jay Shah were on a video call with the BCCI office-bearers on Wednesday where Kohli's comments were discussed in detail and it was decided that the BCCI will not release any official statement or conduct a press conference in the matter. "Expert opinion was taken on how to deal with the sensitive matter as it also involves the respect of a president's office. The BCCI knows that a Test series is round the corner and any hasty decision or statement from them could affect the morale of the team," a senior BCCI source told PTI. Also Read: 'Safer option would've been to side with Ganguly': Tabraiz Shamsi lauds Kohli amid ODI captaincy row Many were expecting the BCCI to conduct a press conference with the head of the selection panel - Chetan Sharma in it to address the raging controversy after Kohli and Ganguly's contradicting statements. However, the board is unlikely to rush into action. Meanwhile, Kohli, who rubbished the reports of him taking a break and skipping the ODI series against South Africa, reassured that he will extend his full support to new limited-overs captain Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid in taking Indian cricket forward. Kohli also admitted that he understood why he was sacked as ODI captain as India failed to win an ICC trophy under his leadership. (With agency inputs) ×

BCCI not happy with Virat Kohli's comments but unlikely to take hasty step ahead of South Africa series