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SpORTS DECEMBER 31, 2021 | The Indian Eye 52

indian tour oF SoutH aFrica

Ganguly’s silence on

captaincy, Kohli’s theatrics

and one hell of Test series

As the Men in Blue land in South Africa and prepare to take on the hosts in the Test series,
we bring to you glimpses of action on the filed and off it

OUR BUREAU

Johannesburg
oard of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI) President
BSourav Ganguly has refused
to speak on white-ball captaincy row
following remarks of Virat Kohli on
his earlier comments. “Let’s not take
this further, I have nothing to say,”
Sourav Ganguly told reporters here.
Asked if there would be any action
taken against Virat Kohli after the
South Africa tour, Ganguly said, “I
have nothing to say. It is the matter
of the BCCI and they will only deal
with it.”
A day after Kohli was removed
as the ODI captain, BCCI President
Ganguly had said that he had indeed
spoken to Virat regarding the lead-
ership change adding that he had
requested Virat to also not give up Indian Test captain Virat Kohli with teammate KL Rahul during a practice session ahead of the first Test match between India and South Africa,
the T20I captaincy. “It’s a call that at Super Sport Park in Centurion on Tuesday. (ANI)
the BCCI and the selectors took to-
gether. Actually, the BCCI had re- sion that was made was inaccurate. I
quested Virat to not step down as the was contacted one-and-a-half hours
T20I skipper but obviously, he did before the selection meeting on 8th
not agree. And the selectors then did for the Test series,” said Kohli.
not feel it right to have two different Virat Kohli-led Indian red-ball
captains for two white-ball formats,” squad is in Johannesburg, South Af-
Ganguly had told ANI. rica, to lock horns with Proteas in the
“So, it was decided that Virat will three-match Test series. The first test
continue as Test captain and Rohit match begins on December 26.
will take over as the white-ball cap- Matter of opinion rather than
tain. I as President personally spoke controversy: Madan Lal
to Virat Kohli and the chairman of Former cricketer Madan Lal
selectors has also spoken to him,” the said that the rift between India Test
BCCI president had added. skipper Virat Kohli and the Board of
However, Virat Kohli held a Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
press conference and contradicted is not a controversy but a matter of
Ganguly, saying he was never asked opinion.
to leave the T20I captaincy. “What- Cheteshwar Pujara during a practice session ahead of the first Test match between India and “I think this situation should
ever was said about the communica- South Africa (ANI) have been handled in a better way
tion that happened during the deci- Continued at next page... >>

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