For the third time in the recent past, Virat Kohli has stepped down as the captain of a side. First, it was the national T20 team, then RCB in IPL, and now, as Test captain of India.
This one has to be the most shocking because Virat had stressed that he wants to focus on the longest format of the game when he was making previous resignations.
In the note that Virat posted on his social media handles, he said that he has performed his role with utmost honesty and that if he can’t give his 120 percent to something, he’d rather not do it. He also thanked former coach Ravi Shastri and his predecessor MS Dhoni for their support.
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 (sic).
Who will lead the team in the future remains a big question, but for now, people celebrate Virat the India Test captain.
Under Virat’s captaincy, India won many important series, especially the one against Australia on its home ground. Kohli led India in 68 matches, out of which the side won 40, handing him an enviable average of 58.82.
In terms of victories, the country has never found a better captain than him.
What’s even more impressive is that he managed to maintain his form as a batsman while leading the side. He scored 5864 runs during his time as the captain, which includes 254-run-innings against the Proteas.
While one tries to look at things objectively, it’s tough to do that with Kohli’s resignation, thanks to all the contradictory statements that have come from the former captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly in the last few months.
This will inevitably lead to discussions, but let’s take a moment to thank Virat for all that he has done. So long, skipper. What wonderful 7 years these have been.