Virat Kohli has announced that he is stepping down from Test captaincy of the Indian team after the recently-concluded South Africa series. The 33-year-old took to social media on Saturday, January 15 and said that his 7-year-journey as the Test captain of India has come to a halt.
The unforeseen decision comes a day after India lost a 3-Test series 1-2 to South Africa in South Africa. Virat Kohli led India in 68 Tests between 2014 and 2022 and won 40 out them. The skipper finishes as India’s most successful Test captain with a win percentage of 58.82.
Virat Kohli had been one of India’s longest-serving skippers in the longest format of the game, having successfully led the team in whites for close to 8 years.
Kohli’s decision comes months after he quit T20I captaincy. He was sacked as India’s ODI captain before India departed to South Africa earlier this year.
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. 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.”
