New Delhi: World Cup-winning former India skipper Kapil Dev feels Virat Kholi's statements that exposed his differences with the BCCI on the issue of captaincy were ill-timed as they created an unsavoury controversy just ahead of a crucial tour to South Africa.
In the pre-departure press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, Kohli dismissed as "inaccurate" BCCI President Sourav Ganugaly's statement that the Board had requested him not to step down as T20I captain. The comment exposed the underlying tension between Kohli and the administrators after he was removed as ODI skipper as well earlier this month.
"It is not good to point fingers on anybody at this point in time. The South Africa tour is coming and please pay attention to the tour," Kapil told a media network when asked about Kohli's remarks.
"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."
The 62-year-old, who led India to the 1983 World Cup title, urged Kohli to take control of the situation and think about the country.
"Aap situation ko control kijiye, behtar ye hai ki aap desh ke baare mein sochiye (Please control the situation and it's better to think about the country)," said the former skipper who played 134 Tests between 1978 and 1994 and took 434 wickets along with making 5248 runs.