Virat Kohli has stepped down as captain of India's Test team, with immediate effect, only a day after losing the Test series to South Africa 2-1 with a seven-wicket loss in Cape Town, reports ESPN.
Kohli took over as full-time Test captain in early 2015, when MS Dhoni had announced retirement in Australia, and has primarily held the role since then.
Kohli's sudden announcement comes on the back of a recent saga between him and the BCCI which started with his T20I resignation before the 2021 World Cup. In early December, the BCCI then stripped Kohli off the ODI captaincy, naming Rohit Sharma the new white-ball leader. A day later, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said that he had asked Kohli not to step down as T20I captain, but Kohli soon contradicted Ganguly, saying his decision to step down was "received well", termed as "progressive" by the BCCI top brass, and that he "wasn't told to reconsider" his decision. Kohli also expressed his disappointment in the same press conference, saying he had been told about his removal as ODI captain just one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting to pick the Test squad for South Africa, and "there was no prior communication to me at all".
The controversy stretched further when chief selector Chetan Sharma - while announcing the ODI squad for the South Africa tour on December 31 - said "everyone who was present in the meeting asked him to reconsider" his decision when Kohli stepped down as T20I captain.
Taking it to Twitter to step down as Test captain on Saturday, Kohli wrote: "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."
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