Sourav Ganguly has termed reports that claimed he wanted to send a show-cause notice to Virat Kohli as “not true”. A day after reports emerged that Sourav Ganguly wanted to send a show-cause notice to Virat Kohli ahead of the South Africa series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president has termed such claims as false.
Sourav Ganguly replied that the allegations were false when he was asked for a comment on the reports that have emerged. Some media reports claimed that Sourav Ganguly wanted to send a show-cause notice to Virat Kohli after the former Test skipper spoke about the events leading to his removal as ODI skipper.
Sourav Ganguly Termed Media Reports Of Sending A Show Cause Notice To Virat Kohli As False
Last year, 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 Virat Kohli was removed as the ODI captain, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said that he had indeed spoken to Virat Kohli regarding the leadership change adding, that he had requested Virat Kohli to also not give up the T20I captaincy.
However, Virat Kohli, in a press conference before Team India’s departure for South Africa, contradicted Sourav Ganguly, saying he was never asked to leave the T20I captaincy adding that even regarding the ODI captaincy, the communication could have been better.
Later, chief selector Chetan Sharma appeared before the press and corroborated Sourav Ganguly’s version. Following head coach Ravi Shastri’s departure as the Indian team head coach, Virat Kohli also had lost his biggest backer in the dressing-room.
It is learned that the BCCI now considers the whole issue to be over. Virat Kohli is no longer the captain in any format, after stepping down from T20I and Test leadership and being axed as ODI captain. As per media reports, while Virat Kohli did call BCCI general secretary Jay Shah before announcing his decision to resign as Test captain, he didn’t call Sourav Ganguly.
Sourav Ganguly: Virat Kohli’s Decision To Relinquish Test Captaincy A Personal One
Last week, Virat Kohli stepped down as India’s Test captain after being India’s most successful Test skipper with 40 Test wins out of 68 Tests as captain. Sourav Ganguly had then said that Virat Kohli’s decision to step down as Team India’s Test skipper was a “personal one”. The BCCI President also said the board respects Virat Kohli’s decision.
“Under Virat’s 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,” Ganguly had tweeted.
The 33-year-old led India in 68 games and won 40, becoming the country’s most successful Test captain in the process. He presided over India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia and led the team to a 2-1 lead in England last summer before the fifth Test was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp. He stands fourth on the list of captains with most Test wins after the likes of Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Smith.
Earlier, Virat Kohli had relinquished the T20 captaincy after India’s campaign at the 2021 T20I World Cup in the UAE. He was then replaced by Rohit Sharma’s as India’s full-time white-ball skipper last month.