Virat Kohli on Saturday paid tribute and recalled the support he received from MS Dhoni after quitting his role as India’s Test captain in an unforeseen decision. Kohli said he is thankful to Dhoni for believing that he was the right candidate to take Indian cricket forward.

Virat Kohli brought an end to his 7-year reign as India’s Test captain on Saturday, January 15. He finishes as India’s most successful Test captain, winning 40 out of 68 Tests, including series victories in Australia and a proud unbeaten record in home series.

Notably, Kohli had taken over from MS Dhoni as India’s Test captain as early as 2014. Dhoni had made an unforeseen decision to retire from the longest format of the game midway during a Test series in Australia.

“Lastly, a big thank you to MS Dhoni who believed in me as a Captain and found me to be an able individual who could take Indian Cricket forward,” Virat Kohli said in his social media statement on Saturday.

Virat Kohli led India in Tests for close to 8 years and helped them regain the No. 1 Test spot and reach the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship.

Kohli also led India in limited-overs cricket from 2017, taking over from MS Dhoni after the latter quit his roles. Dhoni continued to play white-ball cricket under Kohli’s captaincy till 2019.

Meanwhile, Kohli also acknowledged the role that Ravi Shastri played in helping India become one of the finest Test sides in the recent past. Kohli and Shastri worked together as captain and head coach from 2017 to 2021, winning series at home against top sides and winning in Australia and England.

Under Kohli and Shastri, India won their first-ever Test series in Australia in 2018-19. India led England 2-1 in an incomplete Test series in England last year.

“To Ravi Bhai and the support group who were the engine behind this vehicle that moved us upwards in Test Cricket consistently, you all have played a massive role in bringing this vision to life,” he added.

Kohli’s decision to quit Test captaincy comes a day after India lost a 3-Test series in South Africa 2-1. Kohli had quit T20I captaincy and IPL captaincy last year and was removed as India’s ODI captaincy in December.

“It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I have done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India. It’ now. There have been many ups and also some downs along the journey, but never has there been a lack of effort or lack of belief,” Virat Kohli added.

“I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and if I can’t do that, I know it’s not right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team.”

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