Former India coach Ravi Shastri said that it is a sad day for him to see one of his favourite pupils, Virat Kohli step down as skipper of the Indian Test team. Shastri, whose tenure as coach of the Indian team ended with its dismal campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021, said that Kohli can go as his head held high as he has achieved what very few captains have in Test cricket.
“Virat, you can go with your head held high. Few have achieved what you have as captain. Definitely India's most aggressive and successful. Sad day for me personally as this is the team 🇮🇳 we built together - @imVkohli,” Shastri wrote in his tweet which he posted on social media along with a photo with the captain.
Shastri, who came to the Indian set up as Director of the team post the end of Duncan Fletcher’s tenure as head coach in 2104. But post the eight-month period, Anil Kumble took over. However, that did not go well and Shastri was reappointed as head coach post the 2017 Champions Trophy final loss to Pakistan. Since then remained coach for four long years and saw the main portion of Kohli’s captaincy.
Thus Shastri is someone who had probably the best seat in the house to judge and see the evolution of Kohli as a player as well as a captain.