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Xtra Time Web Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its national selection committee on Wednesday removed Virat Kohli as ODI captain and handed over the reins to Rohit Sharma. The writing was on the wall after India’s unceremonious T20 World Cup exit in UAE. The BCCI mandarins were not in favour of having two captains in ODIs and T20Is.

According to PTI, the board hierarchy waited for the last 48 hours for Kohli, who has already relinquished T20 captaincy, to voluntarily step down from ODI leadership as well but he did not. Eventually the board top officials cracked on whip and removed him from ODI captaincy.

The Indian cricket board ended Virat Kohli's run as India's white-ball captain with a rather matter-of-fact statement. Perhaps, in the most telling way of telling someone that his time was up, Kohli's sacking was not even addressed by the BCCI statement, which merely stated that the selection committee has decided to name Rohit captain of the ODI and T20I teams going forward.

It seemed Kohli dared the BCCI to sack him, the parent body went ahead and did exactly that and the once all-powerful skipper had no other option but to accept it. Since being handed over the captaincy in white ball format. Kohli has had a fascinating success winning 65 out of 95 ODIs as well as leading India to 30 wins in 50 T20Is during his four and half years tenure.

The worst kept secret in the Indian dressing room is the fact that Kohli was not the most popular man in the side. He will still lead India in Tests but being a proud performer, it remains to be seen how he continues as red ball skipper for a longer duration knowing that he isn't in absolute control.

With Inputs from PTI