Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has announced that he will step down as the captain of the T20 cricket team after the T20 World Cup in Dubai.
Taking to Twitter, 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,” he added.
Kohli said he feels he needs to give himself a break after considering that over the last 8-9 years, he has been playing all three formats and captaining regularly for the last five to six years.
“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 said.
The decision, Kohli said, was taken after consulting head coach Ravi Shastri, his heir apparent Rohit, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah.
“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 Dubai in October,” said Kohli.
“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 added.
The T20 World Cup starts on 17 October, with the final to be played in Dubai on 14 November.
For some time, there has been speculation about Kohli’s future as white-ball captain especially in the backdrop of Rohit Sharma’s brilliant track record of winning five IPL titles for Mumbai Indians.
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