India captain Virat Kohli did not hold anything back and even went on to refute Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly’s comments on his decision to quit T20I captaincy when he addressed the media on Wednesday, December 15.

Virat Kohli highlighted the lack of communication with the BCCI over the manner in which he was sacked as ODI captain on the day the 18-man squad for the Test series in South Africa (starting December 26) was announced.

Refuting Ganguly’s comments, Kohli said his decision to quit T20I captaincy was received well by the BCCI and the selectors and no one had told him to reconsider the decision.

While announcing his decision to quit T20I captaincy, Kohli mentioned in his social media post that he wanted to continue as ODI and Test captain. However, Kohli said on Wednesday that he had clearly communicated to the BCCI that he will accept any decision that the office-bearers and the selectors take on him retaining the captaincy of the ODI team.

‘NO ONE TOLD NOT TO QUIT T20I CAPTAINCY’

“When I communicated with the BCCI first about quitting T20I captaincy, I told them that this is my point of view, these are the reasons for my decision, it was received quite well. No one took offence, no one had any hesitation. No one told me that I should not leave the T20I captaincy,” Kohli told the press.

“It was received well and looked at as a progressive step and one in the right direction. That time, I told the BCCI that I want to continue as ODI and Test captain unless the BCCI office-bearers or the selectors want me not to do. I clarified this as well in the phone call. My communication with the BCCI was very clear. I also gave them the option that if the BCCI office-bearers of the selectors want to take a decision, I am okay with it,” he added.

Notably, Sourav Ganguly, in an interview to News18, had said that he personally requested Virat Kohli to not step down as T20I captain and that the selectors felt there was no room for having two limited-overs captains for the senior men’s national team.

“It’s like I said I personally requested him (Kohli) not to give up the T20I captaincy. Obviously, he felt the workload. Which is fine, he has been a great cricketer, he has been very intense with his cricket. He has captained for a long period of time and these things happen.,” Ganguly had said.

BCCI HAS TAKEN A LOGICAL DECISION: KOHLI ON LOSING ODI CAPTAINCY

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli also revealed that he was told only 90 minutes before the announcement of the South Africa team that he would no longer continue to be India’s ODI captain.

Rohit Sharma was appointed as India’s ODI captain on December 8 as the BCCI made the announcement in a single line in their press release to announce the Test squad for South Africa tour. Kohli said he had no prior communication with the selectors or the BCCI top brass about his removal from ODI captaincy.

“Whatever was said about the communication that happened during the decision that was made was inaccurate. I was contacted 1 and half hours before the meeting on the 8th with the Test series. There was no prior communication at all since the time I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the 8th of December,” Kohli said.

“The chief selector discussed with me the Test team and before ending the call, he told me that the five selectors have decided that I will not be the ODI captain to which I replied, ‘okay fine’.

“In the selection call after that, we chatted briefly. There was no communication prior to that at all,” he added.

However, the India captain said he understood the BCCI’s decision to not retain him as ODI captain and that he will continue to be committed to the team’s cause.

“I can understand the reasons for (ODI captaincy removal). We didn’t win ICC tournaments. There is no debate on whether the decision was right or not. The decision that the BCCI has taken is from a logical point of view, I can understand that. But the turn of events and the communication with the BCCI, that part I have told you beforehand.”