The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced that Virat Kohli has decided to step down as captain of the T20I side after the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2021. Kohli will continue to lead the side in the Test and ODI format.
Kohli will continue to be available for selection for the T20 format post the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is hosted by the BCCI in U.A.E. and Oman. The T20 World Cup commences on October 17 and the final will be played on November 14. Virat Kohli will be leading the team in the T20 World Cup with Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a mentor of the team.
Virat Kohli took over the limited-overs captaincy in January 2017 from MS Dhoni. Kohli led India in 45 T20I matches out of which India won 27 games and lost 14.
Announcing the step Team India Captain, Virat Kohli, said, “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 it without them – the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win.”
“Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian Team in Test and ODI Cricket. I have given everything to the team during my time as T20 captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 team as a batsman moving forward,” he added.
“Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I’ve decided to step down as the T20 captain after this T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman in October. I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability,” he further added.
BCCI President, Sourav Ganguly said, “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. The decision has been made keeping in mind the future roadmap. 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.”
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said, “We have a clear roadmap for Team India. Considering the workloads and ensuring that we have smooth transition, Mr Virat Kohli has decided to step down as T20I Captain after the upcoming World Cup. I have been in discussions with Virat and the leadership team for the last six months and the decision has been thought through. Virat will continue to contribute as a player and as a senior member of the side in shaping the future course of Indian cricket.”
