Virat Kohli: We will miss Rohit's abilities a lot

Indias Test captain Virat Kohli batted in his candid style quashing talk of a rift with new whiteball captain Rohit Sharma during a virtual press conference ahead of the teamrsquos departure to South Africa on WednesdayKohli 33 stressed that he will miss his inform and injured opener Rohit in the threematch Test series against Proteas beginning at Centurion on December 26 Kohli also clarified that he will be available for the ODI series selection Rohit who will miss the Test series due to hamstring injury is likely to return to lead the team in the threematch ODI series against South Africa starting on January 19 in PaarlProven track recordldquoWe will miss his Rohit abilities a lot He has proved in England that he has really worked his Test game out The opening partnership with KL Rahul was very important for us in that series So obviously with his experience and skills we will miss his qualitiesrdquo Kohli said on Wednesday when midday asked him about missing Rohit as an opener in the South Africa Test seriesRohit 34 who has scored 368 in his last four Tests was Indiarsquos top rungetter in the Pataudi Trophy during Indiarsquos tour of England earlier this yearKohli also reiterated that there is no any problem between him and Rohit assuring the new whiteball team leader 100 per cent supportldquoMy responsibility is to push the team in the right direction Rohit is a very able captain and tactically very sound Along with head coach Rahul Dravid bhai who is a great man manager they will get my 100 per cent support in ODIs and T20Isrdquo said Kohli who has 12169 ODI runs under his belt from 254 gamesRefuting speculation that he will be taking a break from the upcoming ODI series Kohli explained ldquoI was and I am available for selection all this time I havenrsquot had any communication with the BCCI to say that I want to rest I am available for selection for the ODI series in South Africa and I am always keen to play People are writing lies I have never asked for restrdquo Kohli who had earlier expressed his desire to lead the ODI team till the 2023 World Cup in India revealed that he came to know that he will not remain 50over skipper just after ending the Test team selection meeting last WednesdayldquoI was contacted oneandahalf hour before the selection meeting for the Test series And there was no prior communication at all since I announced the T20 captaincy decision up till December 8 The chief selector Chetan Sharma discussed with me the Test team to which we both agreed Before ending the call I was told that the five selectors have decided that I wonrsquot be an ODI captain anymore to which I replied lsquookay finersquordquo Kohli saidMentally preparedThough Kohli appeared disappointed with the developments he is determined to give his best ldquoTo be prepared for a tour like this and to perform to the best of my abilitieshellipnothing hashellipand nothing can derail me from that A lot of things that happen on the outside are not ideal and not how one expects them to be Irsquom focused mentally prepared and excited to do the best I can for the team and make the team winrdquo said Kohli the scorer of 7801 runs in 97 Tests