Virat Kohli ends his reign as Test Captain
Virat Kohli has stepped down from Test captaincy with immediate effect on Saturday, January 15 – after India’s series loss against South Africa.
The 33-year-old ace cricketer expressed his decision to resign as Indian Test captain via social media. This sees the end of Virat Kohli era as a captain. He stepped down from his T20I captaincy right after the T20 World Cup following which he was removed as the ODI captain as well.
Kohli led India in 68 Tests. India won 40 of them, making him the most successful captain in Indian Test history. India lost 17 and drew 11 Tests under his leadership.
The Delhi based cricketer has a phenomenal record with the bat as a captain as he scored 5864 runs in 113 Test innings at an average of 54.80. He recorded 20 centuries and 18 half centuries to his name during his reign.
Virat Kohli’s statement:
“It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance everyday to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Every thing has to come to a 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 the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team.
“I want to thank the BCCI for giving me the opportunity to lead my country for such a long period of time and more importantly to all the teammates who bought into the vision I had for the team from day one and never gave up in any situation. You guys have made this journey so memorable and beautiful. 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.”
Kohli made his Test captaincy debut in the absence of MS Dhoni at Adelaide in 2014 series down under. He took over as full-time captain in the same series as Dhoni announced his Test retirement.
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