Guwahati: Virat Kohli has announced that he will be stepping down as the T20 captain after the upcoming ICC T20 Cricket World Cup is over.
He announced his decision on his official Twitter account on Thursday.
In the statement that he updated on his official Twitter handle, Kohli wrote, “I have decided to step down as the T20 captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October.”
He added, “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 further wrote, “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.”
Kohli in his statement 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 Dubai in October. I have also spoken to 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.”
However, he will continue leading the Test and ODI series.