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Virat Kohli steps down as India Test skipper with an emotional message

Virat Kohli has decided to step down as skipper of the Indian Test team and he announced his decision with an emotional message on his various social media accounts. This decision comes at the backdrop of the 2-1 series loss against South Africa, the only unconquered frontier amongst the tough overseas conditions in Virat Kohli’s captaincy. 

The Indian team lost the last and final Test to South Africa at Newlands by seven wickets and more than the loss the thing that hogged the limelight was Kohli's and some other Indian players' displeasure towards the broadcasters being showcased through their continuous chirping on the stumps mic. 

Kohli thanked BCCI, former coach Ravi Shastri, the support staff and MS Dhoni for backing him and showcasing their faith in him to lead the side for seven long years.

Virat, who led the Indian team in a record 68 Tests, more than any other Indian captain, also has the best winning percentage among Indian Test skippers and third-best among all Test skippers on the world who have captained their sides in more than 50 Tests. Australia's Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting are the only two other captains with a win percentage of more than Kohli's 58.82. 

Kohli, 33, became the captain of the Indian Test team in 2014 after MS Dhoni en-tour Australia decided to step down from his role as India's Test captain after the loss in the first Test. Since then, the Delhi born led India in 68 Tests, winning 40 and losing 17 while 11 Tests ended in a draw. 

With his resignation from even the Test captaincy, Kohli would remain the skipper without any ICC Trophies to his name even after making it to the knockout stage in almost all tournaments that he led the team in, barring the 2021 T20 World Cup. 

Post his resignation, it is obvious that Rohit Sharma, who is the vice-captain of the Indian Test side would become the captain and once again the Indian team will be led by the same man in all three formats as Rohit has already been made the skipper in the white-ball formats.

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