On Thursday, Virat Kohli took social media to announce his retirement as the T20 captain after the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE. However, the Indian skipper also confirmed that he will continue his position as a captain of the Indian ODI team.
Kohli made it clear that his decision to quit T20 captaincy is part of his workload management and he has made this decision after consulting head coach Ravi Shastri and his fellow teammates. He also informed BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah about his decision before making it public.
After taking over from MS Dhoni in 2017, Kohli has lead team India as a captain in 45 T20 internationals. In addition, his winning percentage is 64.44 with a total of 29 victories and 14 losses. In fact, his winning percentage is better than former captain MS Dhoni under whose leadership India won the inaugural edition of the T20 world cup.
Talking about his stint as the T20 captain, Kohli stated on social media, “I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian cricket team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the captain of the Indian cricket team. I couldn’t have done without them – the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches and each and every Indian who played for us to win.”
Sharing his thoughts on this move, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly commented, “Virat has been a true asset for Indian Cricket and has led with aplomb. He is one of the most successful captains in all the formats.” “We thank Virat for his tremendous performance as the T20I Captain. We wish him all the best for the upcoming World Cup and beyond and hope that he continues to score plenty of runs for India,” he further added.
With Kohli stepping down, it has paved a way for Rohit Sharma to take up his mantel after the World Cup. Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar on this occasion said, “If India is looking to groom a new captain, then KL Rahul can be looked at. He has performed well. Even now in England, his batting was very good. He has been performing well in IPL and 50-overs cricket as well on the international stage. He can be made vice-captain.”
However, Kohli will still be available in the T20 format after his retirement as the T20 captain. Notably, the tenure of the head coach Shastri and the support staff will also end with the UAE World Cup.
Continue Reading on Spot Latest
