India's Virat Kohli says given 90 minutes notice of sacking

Published December 15, 2021
Virat Kohli is seen in this screengrab posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the team's departure for South Africa. — BCCI Twitter
Virat Kohli is seen in this screengrab posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the team's departure for South Africa. — BCCI Twitter

Virat Kohli said on Wednesday that he was told only 90 minutes before the official announcement that he had been sacked as India's one-day captain.

Kohli quit as T20 skipper after the recent World Cup and last week was removed as ODI captain, with India's cricket board saying it wanted Rohit Sharma to lead in both white-ball formats.

The surprise announcement came in one line at the bottom of a press release by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the Test squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa.

“I was contacted one and a half hours before the selection meeting on the 8th for the Test series and there was no prior communication to me at all,” Kohli told reporters on Wednesday ahead of the team's departure for South Africa, where they will play three Tests and three ODIs.

“Before ending the call I was told that the five selectors had decided that I would not be the ODI captain, to which I replied, 'ok fine',” the 33-year-old said.

Kohli will still captain India in the Tests in South Africa but press reports suggested that he had decided to skip the subsequent ODI series in a huff.

But Kohli denied this, telling reporters on Wednesday that he “was and am available for selection” and hitting out at sections of the media for “writing lies”.

“I was always keen to play,” he said.

Opinion

Editorial

Trump’s folly
Updated 13 Feb, 2025

Trump’s folly

This latest pronouncement only reinforces the fears of those who see the plan as a blueprint for ethnic cleansing.
Corruption ranking
13 Feb, 2025

Corruption ranking

IT comes as little surprise. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2024, unveiled on...
Support from remittances
13 Feb, 2025

Support from remittances

EVEN though workers’ remittances dipped, albeit negligibly, in January on a month-over-month basis, the earnings...
Ill omens
Updated 12 Feb, 2025

Ill omens

One wonders whether institutional leadership realises the long-term ramifications of the ongoing "remaking" of judiciary.
Sunken dreams
12 Feb, 2025

Sunken dreams

ANOTHER tragedy has struck Pakistani migrants seeking a better future. A boat capsizing off the Libyan coast has ...
Hate in India
12 Feb, 2025

Hate in India

HISTORY shows that rulers use hate speech to provoke hate crimes and ‘othering’ among communities. Indian Prime...