Reports: With South Africa series looming, BCCI unlikely to take rushed decision on Virat Kohli

The chaos regarding the contradicting comments between Team India Test skipper Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, have intensified quite a bit over the last few days. Ganguly, also a former Indian skipper, said that he had personally asked the 33-year-old Virat to not step down from captaincy in the T20 format.

However, the Delhi-born Virat was clear cut in saying that he was never asked “not to quit T20 captaincy”. As per reports, the BCCI wasn’t happy with proceedings on Wednesday, December 15. However, the board is also aware that any strong reaction could hamper the morale of the Indian team before the three-match Test series against South Africa, starting December 26.

BCCI to wait for a while before zeroing in on a decision

Even as Kohli reached South Africa on Thursday, December 16, Ganguly refrained from making any comments while saying that the BCCI will take the necessary steps.

“No statements, no press conference. We will deal with it, leave it to (the) BCCI,” Ganguly was quoted as saying to the media in his hometown. In the meantime, Kohli has lost captaincy in the ODI format as well.

As per sources, the BCCI office bearers, including Ganguly and Jay Shah, the honorary secretary, took part in a zoom call on Wednesday where it was decided that the board wouldn’t engage in any media interaction before the South Africa tour.

“Expert opinion was taken on how to deal with the sensitive matter as it also involves the respect of a president’s office. The BCCI knows that a Test series is round the corner and any hasty decision or statement from them could affect the morale of the team,” a senior BCCI official told on conditions of anonymity.

India’s tour of South Africa is set to get underway on December 26 with the opening Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. Johannesburg and Cape Town will host the other two matches on the tour. The BCCI has already named a strong 18-member squad, led by Kohli, for the Tests. The squad for the three-match ODI series is yet to be announced.