BCCI President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly is impressed by Virat Kohli’s attitude but also noted that he isn’t the biggest fan of the latter picking fights with those involved in the sport.
Kohli, on the eve of India’s departure for the South Africa tour, had set the cat among the pigeons when he refuted claims that the BCCI chief had asked him to not relinquish his captaincy in T20Is. The BCCI President had claimed that he had spoken to India’s Test skipper asking him to not quit T20 captaincy before he announced his decision in September.
At an event in Gurgaon, Ganguly was asked which player’s attitude does he like best and pat came the response, “I like Virat Kohli’s attitude but he fights a lot.”
The BCCI President had also said that he spoke to Kohli personally about the matter of the captaincy in white-ball cricket but the Test captain refuted the claims, it was told to him 90 minutes before the announcement was made on 8 December.
“About the T20I captaincy, I first approached the BCCI explaining my point of view, thought process and reasons. And at that point, it was received very well. There was no offence or hesitancy. I was not told to not leave the T20I captaincy rather it was received as a progressive call. I had also communicated that yes, I would like to continue as the skipper in Tests and ODIs unless the office-bearers or the selectors feel I shouldn’t continue. This too was clarified on the call. So, my communication with the BCCI was clear from that point on. I had given the option to the officials, that the decision was in their hands if I should continue or not,” Kohli had said in the pre-departure press conference in Mumbai.
After this presser, the BCCI President had said the board will look into the matter in their own way. "I have got nothing to say. We will deal with it, leave it to the BCCI," the former India captain had said in Kolkata.
Kohli led India will now play 3 Tests in South Africa after which they will play as many ODIs.
(With inputs from India Today)
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