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In the aftermath of the T20 World Cup 2021, Indian cricket found itself embroiled in controversy, with a heated exchange between Sourav Ganguly, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and Virat Kohli, the then captain of Team India. After the T20 World Cup, Kohli was relieved of captaincy duties in T20s and ODIs. The public spat between the two cricket stalwarts had everyone hooked.
In a recent media interaction, Ganguly set the record straight, stating that he did not remove Virat Kohli from captaincy; instead, it was a decision Kohli made himself. Ganguly revealed that prior discussions were held with Kohli about relinquishing ODI captaincy, and it was only after Kohli's consent that the decision was finalised.
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"Kohli did not want to captain in T20s. When he resigned from T20 captaincy, I suggested that if he's not captaining in T20s, he should step down from limited-overs captaincy altogether," Ganguly clarified.
The controversy arose when Kohli, in a press conference, claimed that he was informed of the decision just 90 minutes before the news broke out. Ganguly, addressing this, emphasized that Kohli was given ample time to reconsider, and the BCCI fully supported his decision. The saga continued with Kohli stepping down from Test captaincy in early 2022, leaving the cricketing fraternity in shock.
Ganguly, shedding light on the matter, stated, "I told Kohli that we should have separate captains for limited-overs and Tests. Having different captains for T20s and ODIs-Tests won't work well." This was a significant departure from the norm, as Rohit Sharma took over the limited-overs captaincy, while Kohli continued to lead in Tests.
Despite the controversy, Ganguly stressed that he did not play a role in removing Kohli from captaincy. "I have said it many times before, I did not remove Virat from captaincy. I suggested a different captain for T20s, and when he stepped down, Rohit Sharma was the best option at that time," Ganguly clarified.
The aftermath of the 2022 T20 World Cup saw a reshuffle in captaincy across formats. Rohit Sharma took a break from international T20s, leading to various players, including Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, captaining different formats in the upcoming series. The situation showcases the BCCI's approach of experimenting with captaincy roles in preparation for future challenges.
In conclusion, the Kohli captaincy saga revealed the complexities and dynamics within the BCCI decision-making process, with the cricketing world eagerly anticipating how the newly appointed captains will steer Team India in the upcoming South Africa tour.
