Former cricketer Madan Lal said that the rift between India Test skipper Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not a controversy but a matter of opinion. Virat Kohli was removed as the ODI captain, on which BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had told ANI that he had indeed spoken to Kohli regarding the leadership change adding that he had requested him to also not give up the T20I captaincy. However, Kohli held a press conference on Wednesday and in that, the former white-ball skipper contradicted Ganguly saying he was never asked not to leave the T20I captaincy.

“I think this situation should have been handled in a better way because it is not a controversy but a matter of opinion. I don’t know what Sourav had said to Virat so I don’t want to comment on that. But I think that Sourav being the president should come out and give an explanation and that will be the end of the entire issue. We need to be focused on the South Africa tour right now as it is an important game for us,” Madan Lal told ANI.

Madan Lal further said he that agrees with Sunil Gavaskar that Kohli should clear the issue with management.

“Gavaskar is correct with his point. Virat should clear all his issues with the management. This is not a big matter. I would say that the selectors should have handled the situation better. It is the duty of selectors to look after and stop these controversies. I am not sure if the selectors spoke to Virat before taking the decision,” said Madan Lal.

Promoted

On the other hand, Virat Kohli-led Indian red-ball squad is in Johannesburg, South Africa to lock horns with Proteas in the three-match Test series.

India and South Africa will lock horns in the Test series which gets underway from December 26.