‘I can understand why I was removed as ODI captain’: Top 10 Virat Kohli quotes from his press conference | Cricket News


NEW DELHI: Indian Test captain Virat Kohli‘s virtual press conference on Wednesday has caused quite a stir. Not mincing any words, Virat firmly made it clear that he had not been asked to reconsider his decision to step down as India T20I captain by the BCCI. That after BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had earlier said that Virat was asked not to step down.
Virat also put an end to all the speculation about his availability for the ODI series in South Africa and his alleged rift with new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma.
Kohli also cleared the air that he was never spoken to about being replaced as ODI captain till chairman of selectors Chetan Sharma intimated him 90 minutes before the scheduled Test team selection meeting for the South Africa tour.
The following are 10 of the most important quotes from Virat’s press conference before the teams departure for South Africa:
“When I left the T20 captaincy, I had first approached BCCI and intimated them of my decision and laid down my point of view in front of them (office bearers). I gave the reasons why I wanted to quit T20 captaincy and my viewpoint was received very nicely. There was no offence, no hesitation and not for once was I told that ‘you should not leave T20 captaincy’,” Kohli said, in complete contradiction to what Sourav Ganguly had stated earlier that the Board requested him not to quit.
“Whatever was said about the communication that happened about the decision that was made was inaccurate,” Kohli said with obvious reference to Ganguly’s statement.

“I was contacted one and half hours before the selection meeting on 8th for the Test series and there was no prior communication to me at all since I announced my decision on T20 captaincy. The chief selector discussed the Test team to which we both agreed. Before ending the call, I was told that the five selectors have decided that I will not be the ODI captain to which I replied ‘okay fine’.”
“I can understand why (he was removed as ODI captain)- the reason – we haven’t won an ICC tournament. Whether the decision they took is right or wrong, there’s no debate. It’s a logical decision which I understand. The events that transpired and the way I was communicated (things), I’ve told you.”
“I was and I am available for selection all the time. I never communicated with the BCCI asking for rest. I am available for the ODI series in South Africa, and was always available,” Kohli said during the pre-departure press conference before the tour of South Africa.
“There is no rift between me and Rohit Sharma. I have clarified multiple times in the last 2.5 years and now I am tired of clarifying things. I can guarantee you that my communication will never be to take my team down till I am playing cricket. It is my commitment towards Indian cricket,” said Kohli.

“My responsibility is obviously to push the team in the right direction, something that I’ve always looked to do even before I became captain, so that mindset has never changed and it will never change,” Kohli on his role under Rohit’s captaincy.
“Rohit is a very able captain and tactically very sound. We’ve seen that in the games that he has captained for India and in the IPL as well. So is (Rahul) Dravid bhai, who’s a very, very balanced coach, great man manager.”
“Both of them (Rohit and Dravid) will have my absolute support and my contribution in whatever vision they set for the team and I will be there to support that 100 percent and continue to be a guy who can push the team in the right direction going forward from here.”
“South Africa is one place where we have not won a series yet. So we are very motivated to do that. And the mindset is always to go there and win a series in any country that we play.”



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