Not like Kohli found out through media that he's been removed from captaincy: Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has defended the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee after Virat Kohli said he was informed about being sacked as ODI captain an hour-and-a-half before the Test squad was announced for the tour of South Africa. Gavaskar said he doesn’t understand why there’s so much controversy as Kohli was informed about the captaincy snub before the BCCI made it public.

Speaking to Sports Tak, the 72-year-old said: "He was told before the public announcement, right? It's not like he found out through the media announcement. The chairman of the Selection Committee told him before the announcement so he (Chetan Sharma) gave him (Kohli) that courtesy. It's not like Kohli found out through the media that he's been removed from the captaincy. So he did know. What more do you want?

"I don't understand what's the controversy in this. If he was informed by the chairman of the Selection Committee 1.5 hours before the announcement - when they were selecting the Test team they would have surely consulted Kohli. Perhaps he would have also been present in the Zoom meeting. And I know that even today the Indian captain doesn't get a vote in (the Selection Committee). He can be present there and give his opinion but the final decision is of the 5 Selection Committee members."

Kohli also spoke about offering his full support to white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid and said he has no issues playing under them. "This is absolutely right. When you play for the Indian team, you dedicate your body and mind to it and thrive for its success. It doesn't matter who is or isn't the captain because you get pride in your own performance and helping the team win," said Gavaskar.

"There's no two ways about the fact that whoever plays for the Indian team, does it with all his/her energy. Yes, this is a sport, you can't always be successful. That's why even yesterday I said that don't believe these reports. Ask the players themselves.

"This has been the problem with Indian cricket for years. Whenever there are two players with a bit of up-down regarding captaincy, one captain here and the other there, then the rumors that spread here... I am not saying that the media does it but it happens a lot via social media and public media. These rumors that fly out have now been proven as fake news. This is all wrong because all of us need to take Indian cricket forward, whether we are playing or not."

The biggest talking point to emerge from Kohli’s pre–South African tour press conference was how Kohli contradicted BCCI president Sourav Ganguly’s recent statement. Kohli announced ahead of the T20 World Cup that he would step down as India's T20I captain after the mega event and the batting maestro said his decision was received well by the BCCI. However, Ganguly recently said he had suggested Kohli to reconsider his decision.

"I think it (Kohli's comments) actually doesn't bring the BCCI into the picture. I think it's the individual who has to be asked where he got the impression he had conveyed such a message to Kohli. So that's the only thing. Yes, he is the BCCI president and surely he should be asked why there is such discrepancy," Gavaskar told India Today. 

"It always helps to have a clear line of communication so that there is no speculation. So from now, from what has happened, there should be a clear line of communication and the chairman of the selection committee can come down and say why he has been picked and why he has not been picked. Sometimes, even if that is not needed, a press release is also good enough. A good press release giving all the reasons makes life a lot easier."