‘No request by board to stay as T20 captain’ – Virat Kohli denies Sourav Ganguly’s claims

India Test captain Virat Kohli addressed the media ahead of the team’s departure for South Africa. The 33-year-old spoke on various topics and also quashed several rumours that were circulating in the media. Several reports were doing rounds of late that Kohli won’t play the ODIs against South Africa.

Kohli though denied the reports and said he will be available for selection. “I am available. Do not ask me these questions. Ask those writing these things. I am always available. A few things came out in the past as well which were also not true. People writing these, their sources are not credible.”

Kohli also spoke about his ODI leadership sacking and said he was contacted 1.5 hours ago by the BCCI selection panel. Kohli wanted to be the ODI and Test captain. However, BCCI was not in favour of two skippers in white-ball format. BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had revealed that he personally requested Virat Kohli to stay as T20I captain. However, Kohli denied having any such discussion.

“I was contacted one and a half hours before selection for Tests. The chief selector discussed with me the Test. Before the call ended I was told that the 5 selectors have decided that I won’t be ODI captain anymore. There was no prior communication about this,” Kohli said in the press conference.

Kohli also clarified everything is well between him and Rohit Sharma. Reports of Kohli taking a break coincided with India’s limited-overs captain being unavailable for the South Africa tour due to a hamstring injury. “Nothing between me and Rohit. I’ve been saying this for 2.5 years and I’m, tired. Whatever I’ll do will never be to take the team downwards. There is no issue between Rohit and me.”