‘Gave my 120%’: Kohli quits Test captaincy

By Mohammed Rumman Khan | NT

Virat Kohli has stepped down as captain of India’s Test team a day after losing the Test series to South Africa 2-1 with a sevenwicket loss in Cape Town.

His greatest achievement as captain was in leading India to its first-ever Test series triumph in Australia. Passionate about Tests, the failure to beat South Africa in a Test series on this tour would go down among his greatest disappointments.

Under his time as the captain, India played 68 Tests, winning 40, losing 17 and drawing 11 matches, having a win percentage of 58.82 while registering memorable wins in overseas and home conditions. “There have been many ups and also some downs along the journey but there has never been lack of effort or lack of belief.” Interestingly, when Kohli had quit T20 captaincy, he had also posted his message on social media. “It’s been seven years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance everyday to take the team in the right direction. I have done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there,” Kohli wrote in a statement which he posted on Twitter, taking everyone by surprise.

Kohli led India to the top of world rankings and during his tenure, the team recorded a memorable series win in Australia. The writing is on the wall. Rohit Sharma will be a natural successor to Kohli, isn’t it? One era ends and another will begin.

The inevitable came a bit early as Virat Kohli on Saturday quit as India’s Test captain, saying he did his job with “absolute honesty” and time was right to quit the leadership role.

Kohli’s announcement came a day after India suffered an embarrassing Test series defeat against South Africa.

Kohli was dealing with one controversy after another as he was recently removed as ODI captain by the BCCI after he decided to step down at Twenty20 captain.

His decision to quit as Test skipper has come at a time when his relation with the BCCI is so strained that he preferred to announce his decision on social media.

Kohli was appointed Test captain back in 2014 when M S Dhoni stepped down in the middle of the series against Australia.

The BCCI took to Twitter to thank Kohli for his contribution. “BCCI congratulates #TeamIndia captain @imVkohli for his admirable leadership qualities that took the Test team to unprecedented heights. He led India in 68 matches and has been the most successful captain with 40 wins,” said BCCI in a tweet.

“Every thing has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now,” Kohli wrote in a statement which he posted on Twitter, taking everyone by surprise.

This marked the end of Kohli’s journey as a skipper, as he had earlier relinquished T20I captaincy followed by the selectors’ decision to remove him from ODI leadership.