Virat Kohli has stepped down as the Test skipper of India with immediate effect, he confirmed on Saturday (January 15). Since taking over the baton from MS Dhoni, Kohli has led India in 68 Tests, winning 40 matches while 11 ended in a draw and losing on 17 occasions. He steps down from the job as India’s most successful Test captain.
Earlier, Kohli had relinquished his leadership duties in the shortest formats before being removed as the captain in ODIs. And now, Virat Kohli has stepped down as captain from the longest format of the game in the wake of India’s 2-1 defeat against South Africa.
Virat Kohli first led the side in Test cricket in 2014, against Australia, and has primarily held the role since then. His last game as captain was the Cape Town Test in South Africa, which India lost by seven wickets.
Virat Kohli made his announcement on the microblogging site Twitter. He wrote:
“7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance everyday to take the team in the right direction”, the time had come for him to step aside. Every thing has to come to halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now. There have been many ups and also some downs along the journey, but never has there been a lack of effort or lack of belief. I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and if I can’t do that, I know it’s not right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team.”
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022
Virat Kohli also thanked former head coach Ravi Shastri and former captain MS Dhoni in his statement.
“To Ravi Bhai and the support group who were the engine behind this vehicle that moved us upwards in Test Cricket consistently, you all have played a massive role in bringing this vision to life. Lastly, a big thank you to MS Dhoni who believed in me as a Captain and found me to be an able individual who could take Indian Cricket forward,” he added.
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