Control the situation: Kapil Dev to Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly over captaincy row

A day after Kohli contradicted Ganguly's statement, Kapil Dev told ABP News, "I would say board president is board president but yes, the Indian cricket team captain is also a big thing. But talking badly about each other in public, I don't think it is a good thing, whether it is Sourav or Kohli."

"You have to control the situation and it would be better to think about the country first. Whatever is wrong will be known soon but speaking publicly about the topic, I think, is wrong at this time. I would not want to see any controversy ahead of an important tour," he added.

Individual statements of Kohli and Ganguly

Kohli on Wednesday said he was informed about the change in leadership in 50 overs cricket one-and-a-half hours prior to the selection of the Test squad for the South Africa tour.

Addressing a press conference, Kohli said, "I was contacted one-and-a-half hours before selection for Tests. The chief selector discussed with me the Test squad.

"Before the call ended, I was told that the five selectors have decided that I won't be ODI captain anymore. There was no prior communication about this."

Kohli said his decision to quit T20 captaincy was accepted well by the Indian cricket board (BCCI), whose chief Ganguly had earlier said he had requested the 33-year-old to not step down.

"When I told the BCCI that I want to give up T20I captaincy, it was accepted really well. There was no hesitancy. I was told that it was a progressive step. I had informed at that time that I would like to lead in ODIs and Tests.

"The communication from my side was clear but I had also informed that if the office bearers and selectors don't think I should lead in other formats, then that is fine," the Indian Test skipper said.

Contradicting some media reports, Kohli said he will be available for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa where Sharma will be leading the side in limited overs cricket.

Kohli clarified he had never asked for any leave, rejecting the reports.

Facing the backlash mostly from Kohli's fans on social media, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said Kohli was asked not to leave the T20 captaincy.

As Kohli went on to quit the T20 captaincy, the board, as Ganguly said, went on to appoint Sharma as the ODI skipper to have a single leader in the limited overs game.

"It's a call that the BCCI and the selectors took together. Actually, the BCCI had requested Virat to not step down as the T20I skipper but obviously, he did not agree. And the selectors then did not feel it right to have two different captains for two white-ball formats," the cricket board supremo told ANI.