Speaking during a press conference, cricketer Virat Kohli said that the BCCI's decision to remove him as Team India's ODI captain was "logical" as he had failed to win a single ICC title.
The skipper delivered the message on Wednesday, saying he understood the decision. A week prior, Kohli was replaced by Rohit Sharma as the white-ball skipper.
Kohli will play in an Indian team not as its captain for the first time in five years. Under coach Rahul Dravid, Kohli was demoted back to a regular batter, the position that earned him his current fame.
"I can understand why," said Kohli during a virtual press conference ahead of the Indian team's departure for South Africa in a new era of Indian cricket where the star batter is no longer a 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."
Kohli, however, claimed that he did not receive any notifications prior to being removed as the captain of the ODI team.
"Whatever was said about the communication that happened during the decision that was made was inaccurate," Kohli continued while answering a question from ANI. "I was contacted one and half hours before the selection meeting on 8th for the Test series.
"And there was no prior communication with me since I announced the T20I captaincy decision up till December 8. The chief selector discussed the Test team to which we both agreed. Before ending the call, I was told the five selectors decided that I would not be ODI captain. To which I replied 'okay fine'."
Kohli on Sharma
The Royal Challengers Bangalore player also praised his replacement, Sharma, saying that he "is a very able captain, tactically very sound".
"We've seen that in the games he's captained for India and in the IPL with Mumbai Indians as well," Kohli continued. "So along with Rahul Bhai, who is a very balanced coach and great man-manager, both will have my absolute support and my contribution in whatever vision they set for the team.
Kohli then promised to "be there to support that 100 per cent and continue to be a guy who can push the team in the right direction going forward in ODIs and T20Is".
The 33-year-old added that he could not predict whether his removal would affect his displays.
"Well, I can't comment if me not being captain will leave a positive impact on my batting, those things no one can predict," the right-handed batsman added. "I have taken a lot of pride in performing as a captain for the team and I've done the best that I could. I think what I know is my motivation levels to perform won't dip at all, I will always be prepared and eager to perform in the same manner.
"My responsibility is to push the team in the right directions, 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 noted.
Virat Kohli
born 5 November 1988) is an Indian cricketer who is the current captain of the India national team. A right-handed top-order batsman.
Rohit Sharma
Indian international cricketer who is the vice-captain of the India national team in limited-overs formats. He is a right-handed batsman
