BCCI vs Virat Kohli: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly dismissed reports claiming that he wanted to send a show-cause notice to former India skipper Virat Kohli ahead of the India tour of South Africa. Ganguly told ANI that the reports were ‘NOT TRUE’. Follow IND vs SA Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Reports claimed that Sourav Ganguly was miffed with Virat Kohli’s remarks in the pre-departure press conference, where the former India skipper called BCCI President and officials liers indirectly, with contradicting statements.
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
What Sourav Ganguly said: It’s a call that the BCCI and the selectors took together. Actually, the BCCI had requested Virat to not step down as the T20I skipper but obviously, he did not agree. I as President personally spoke to Virat Kohli and the chairman of selectors has also spoken to him.
What Virat Kohli said: I was contacted one and a half hours before the selection meeting on the 8th for the Test series and there was no prior communication to me at all. Before ending the call I was told that the five selectors had decided that I would not be the ODI captain, to which I replied, ‘ok fine’.
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli had stepped down as the T20I captain and then he was removed as the ODI leader as the selectors wanted one captain for the white-ball format.
A day after Kohli was removed as the ODI captain, BCCI President Ganguly said that he had indeed spoken to Virat regarding the leadership change adding, that he had requested him to also not give up the T20I captaincy.
However, Kohli held a press conference before Team India geared up to depart for South Africa. In this, the former white-ball skipper contradicted Ganguly saying he was never asked to leave the T20I captaincy adding that even regarding the ODI captaincy, the communication could have been better.
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
However, as per a report in IndiaAheadNews, Sourav Ganguly had even drafted a letter of a showcase for Virat Kohli. However, the other board members convinced him not to and he refrained, saying that the “BCCI will handle it.”
InsideSport later confirmed that not only did Ganguly wanted to send him show-cause notice but the BCCI office-bearers also discussed SACKING him as the Test captain after the South Africa tour. However, Kohli stepped down on his own from Test captaincy after 1-2 loss against South Africa in the Test series.
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
Under Virats 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
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) January 15, 2022
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
“Yes, the option was discussed to ask him to step down after South Africa series. Not all agreed to it but a majority were against split captaincy and wanted a fresh start while Virat could concentrate just on batting. Had he not stepped down, he would have been asked to do so,” a BCCI official told InsideSport.
Two weeks later, Selection Committee chairman Chetan Sharma said that all office bearers were present when Kohli announced his decision to step down from T20I captaincy. Kohli was left embarrassed with Chetan Sharma’s statement. After India’s loss to South Africa in the Test series, he announced his decision to step down.
“There were discussions regarding talking to Virat about the press conference. But we felt that it wasn’t the right time to talk to him. But with what he said set a dangerous precedent and showed insubordination which is not right for any institution,” the official said.
BCCI vs Virat Kohli: Sourav Ganguly DISMISSES reports claiming he wanted to show cause Kohli, says ‘It’s NOT TRUE’
