Without good team environment, we wouldn't be doing well in world cricket: Kohli

The India captain struck down media reports about his rift with Rohit Sharma, calling them 'baffling' and 'ridiculous' © Getty

India captain Virat Kohli came down heavily on the speculations of a rift between him and Rohit Sharma, striking down several media reports that have been doing the rounds as 'baffling' and 'ridiculous'.

"I get to hear from the outside, if the team environment is not good then the way we have been playing in the last 2-3 years is not possible. Because I know the how important the dressing room environment and the trust factor is to succeed in international cricket," Kohli said in a press conference before the Indian team embark on their tour of West Indies.

"If that was not there I don't think we would have been in this position in world cricket. Our journey from number seven to one and our consistent ODI performances is impossible without camaraderie and respect for each other."

Kohli also bemoaned such disrespectful reports for dragging person lives of the players into the public eye.

"Absolutely ridiculous to read such stuff. I have been to few public events and the sentiment that comes out is; you played well and we have some much respect for you. We are feeding off lies, overlooking facts and turning a blind eye to all the good thing that has happened and creating fantasy and scenarios in our head. I have seen this for too long, bringing personal lives into the picture is disrespectful.

While further reiterating that he indeed had 'no issues' with Rohit Sharma, Kohli took an intriguing route.

"I'll tell you something about myself. If I don't like a person or if I'm insecure about a person, you will see that in my face or in my behaviour towards the person. And that's how simple it is. I've always praised Rohit whenever I've had the opportunity because I believe he's that good. We've had no issues. As I said it's baffling, to be honest.

Kohli took exception to the fact that the spotlight, after years of progress made by the Indian team, is now on a false piece of report of such a speculative nature.

"I don't know who is benefiting from all of this. We here are living, breathing, working towards getting Indian cricket to the top. And here people want to get some kind of pleasure in bringing it down. I don't understand how that works. I mean you work so hard for four years to bring a team from 7 to 1. And after four years what are we talking about.

Ravi Shastri doubled up with the captain to take down such reportage, firmly putting it across that the consistency achieved by the team would not have been possible if there were divisions within the dressing room.

"The way this team plays, no individual is bigger than the game. Not me, not him, nobody in the team. And the way they play is in the interest of the team. You cannot play with such consistency across formats if you have rifts or divisions. I have been part of that dressing room for sometime and there's none of that nonsense," Shastri said.

Even as India jettison off for their next full tour, the newly-appointed Cricket Advisory Committee - comprising Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy - will soon convene to pick the next head coach.

Shastri is currently on a 45-day extension after his tenure came to a close with the end of the World Cup. Shastri, by the virtue of being the incumbent coach, doesn't have to put forward his application but will face competition. Kohli, however, threw his weight behind an extended tenure for the former player.

"Look the CAC hasn't contacted me yet. If they tell me that we want your opinion, I'll definitely go and speak to them. With Ravi bhai, all of us have a great camaraderie, everyone in the team shares mutual respect. And we've done really well as a group.

"We'll definitely be very happy if he's continuing as a coach. But as I said it's upon the CAC to seek my advice or opinion if they want. Right now I have not been contacted at all. And I don't know what's going to happen in the process, and that's where it stands," Kohli said.