'This is.....' - Sunil Gavaskar reacts as Virat Kohli promises 'absolute support' to Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid

Team India's Test captain Virat Kohli addressed the media in BCCI's customary press conference before the national side left for South Africa, for three Tests and equal number of ODIs. On Wednesday (December 15), the 33-year-old Kohli interacted with the press to clear the air on a number of issues pertaining to Indian cricket.

In recent times, there has been several changes in the men's cricket team with Rohit Sharma being appointed the limited-overs captain, resulting in Kohli's sacking as ODI skipper. Hence, rumours of alleged rift between Rohit and Kohli spread like wildfire before the latter rubbished all such claims in the press conference.

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Kohli further told the media, "My responsibility is to push the team in the right direction. Rohit is a very able captain and tactically very sound. Along with Rahul bhai, who is a great man manager, they will get my 100 percent support in ODIs and T20Is in whatever vision they set for the team in limited-overs cricket." Here's the video: 

Following Kohli's claims on being hundred percent behind Rohit-Dravid, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar joined the bandwagon and reacted saying, "This is absolutely right. When you play for the Indian team, you dedicate your body and mind to it and thrive for its success. It doesn't matter who is or isn't the captain because you get pride in your own performance and helping the team win... There's no two ways about the fact that whoever plays for the Indian team, does it with all his/her energy. Yes, this is a sport, you can't always be successful. That's why even yesterday I said that don't believe these reports via these sources. Ask the players themselves," the iconic cricketer said on Sports Tak.

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Gavaskar further came hard on ones spreading fake news and said, "This has been the problem with Indian cricket for years. Whenever there are two players with a bit of up-down regarding captaincy, one captain here and the other there, then the rumors that spread here... I am not saying that media does it but it happens a lot via social media and public media. These rumors that fly out have now been proven as fake news. This is all wrong because all of us need to take Indian cricket forward, whether we are playing or not. What do you get from these rumors?"

On Thursday (December 16), Kohli-led Indian Test team left for South Africa where they will play three Tests, from December 26, before the action moves to the ODI series.

Rohit won't be part of the Test series, due to injury, but Kohli has made it clear that he will be available for the ODIs, contrary to reports claiming that he had asked for a leave during that period.