Virat Kohli has stepped down as captain of India’s Test team. Kohli made the announcement a day after losing the Test series to South Africa 2-1 with a seven-wicket loss in Cape Town. He took over as Test captain in early 2015 after MS Dhoni announced his retirement in Australia. He has been the skipper of the Test team since then.
As soon as Kohli announced his decision, it took the world of social media by storm, with a number of people starting to comment on it, thanking him for his career and statistics.
One of the earliest celebrities to comment on Kohli stepping down was Arjun Rampal. The actor tweeted, “Why yaar? @imVkohli you are an amazing captain and have served our nation so well. You have many many more years of cricket in you and a captains mind. I do hope this decision is short lived. Yet,one respects your decision. Thank you for all the incredible memories. #ViratKohli”
Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Kohli said: “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. 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 per cent 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.
He furher added, “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 team-mates 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 [Shastri] 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.”
