Cape Town: Virat Kohli stepped down from India’s test captain on Saturday. This came a day after India lost to South Africa 2-1 on Friday in the Test series.
Kohli took to Twitter to make the big announcement. He had replaced MS Dhoni as the full-time captain in the 2014/15 season. With 40 wins in 68 matches, 11 ended in a draw and lost on 17 occasions. During his tenure, the team recorded a memorable series win in Australia. Kohli ends his captaincy stint as the most successful Indian Test captain.
He wrote on Twitter, “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.” Kohli wrote on Twitter.
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 15, 2022
The former skipper thanked BCCI, former head coach Ravi Shastri and MS Dhoni in his statement on social media. Under him, India became a mighty force and dominated every team at home or overseas. The 33-year old had recently quit as T20 captain and was later sacked at ODI captain by the BCCI.
“I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to mv 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 vou 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 concluded.
