Virat Kohli steps down as captain: The Indian captain won’t be leading the side in the shortest format after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
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India captain Virat Kohli has announced that he will step down from the captaincy in the shortest format after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. Kohli, however, will continue to lead India in Tests and ODIs.
Kohli’s decision has come days after there were several reports in the Indian media regarding him thinking on similar lines. While a couple of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) officials had quashed the reports then, Kohli took to his social media platforms to surprise one and all with his massive decision.
Kohli, 32, laid emphasis on “understanding workload” of a player who has not only been in top form for over a decade but has also been leading a team like India for many years now.
“Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai [Ravi Shastri, head coach] and also Rohit [Sharma, white-ball vice-captain], 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,” Kohli said in a statement.
Kohli, who had made his T20I debut during the tour of Zimbabwe in 2010, had first led India after former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni resigned before a white-ball series against England at home in 2017.
Winning percentage of Virat Kohli as captain in T20Is
In the 45 T20Is which India have played under Kohli, they have won 27 and lost 14 (with a T20 World Cup to be played) with an impressive winning percentage of 65.11.
Having played 90 T20Is, Kohli has played 45 as the captain scoring 1,502 runs at an average and strike rate of 48.45 and 143.18 respectively with the help of 12 half-centuries.
Virat Kohli steps down as captain in T20Is
🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021
🤔🤔🤔
💔💔💔@imVkohli we are with you in your Decision. I am sure we will win this #worldcup under your captaincy.
Wish you All the best.#captaincy https://t.co/ynX37TrO0z— Munaf Patel (@munafpa99881129) September 16, 2021
👑 👑 👑 https://t.co/F5VgT2xr2L
— Marizanne Kapp (@kappie777) September 16, 2021
Captain Kohli has decided to give up captaincy of 🇮🇳 in T20Is after the #T20WorldCup in 🇦🇪.
A fearless and selfless leader who always puts the team ahead of himself. 🙌🏻#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/MUpFtxtqTG
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) September 16, 2021
Superb decision… Backend of career, Virat needs to grow his legend as the best batsman across formats even further. 👏👏 https://t.co/2mypG1SsLJ
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) September 16, 2021
Easy to see how separation of duties makes sense, particularly with the demands of these covid times. https://t.co/92uId8kdKa
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) September 16, 2021
Most successful T20I captains
(min 40 mts)
Win% – Captain (Mts-Won-Lost-Nr)
80.77 – Asghar Afghan (52-42-10-0)
64.44 – Virat Kohli (45-29-14-2)
62.50 – Faf du Plessis (40-25-15-0)
60.94 – Eoin Morgan (64-39-24-1)
59.57 – Darren Sammy (47-28-17-2)
58.33 – MS Dhoni (72-42-28-2)— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 16, 2021
Virat’s intensity was insane. I had thought he would give up the captaincy of #RCB which would give him two months off as leader. Hopefully this can give his mind the rest it needs and who knows, find him another peak as a T20 batsman.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 16, 2021
Rohit Sharma new captain?
The development means that India will once again practice split-captaincy in international cricket. While there hasn’t been any official announcement with respect to Kohli’s successor, it would be an even bigger surprise if white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma isn’t given the responsibility of leading the Indian T20I side after the world event in the UAE later this year.
