“Everything has to come to a halt at some stage” - Virat Kohli quits Test captaincy

Tags: India tour of South Africa 2021-22, India, South Africa, Virat Kohli, Captaincy

Published on: Jan 16, 2022

A day after India lost the Test series to South Africa following a seven-wicket defeat in Cape Town, Virat Kohli quit as the team’s Test captain. The Test series against an inexperienced Proteas outfit was seen by many as India’s best chance to win a Test series in South Africa. However, while India won in Centurion, they went down in Johannesburg and failed to get their act right at Newlands as well.

Sharing a statement on social media, the 33-year-old 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. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it's now.”

Kohli said that there have been many ups and downs along the journey, but never has there been a lack of effort or lack of belief. He added, “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.”

In his statement, Kohli also thanked the BCCI for giving him the opportunity to lead the country for such a long period of time. Praising his teammates, the former captain stated, “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 took over as India’s Test captain following MS Dhoni’s shock Test retirement in 2014 in Australia. His finest moment came when he led India to their maiden Test series win Down Under in 2018-19. He could not lift an ICC title as captain though. India went down to New Zealand in the World Test Championship. He, however, finishes as India’s most successful Test captain, with 40 wins in 68 games.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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