Virat Kohli steps down as T20 captain, to remain captain for ODI/ Test formats

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has announced that he will step down as the T20 captain of the Indian cricket team after the men's T20 World Cup in Dubai in October 2021. He will remain the captain for the ODI and Test formats.

The skipper himself shared the news through a heartfelt note on twitter which read, "I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead 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, support staff, the selection committee, my coaches and each and every Indain who prayed for us to win."

The statement further read, "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 the 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 further stated that after a lot of discussions and contemplation with his close people including Team India coach Ravi Shastri and teammate Rohit Sharma, he has decided to step down as T20 Captain after T20 World Cup in Dubai in October 2021. 

Read the full statement below:

🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021

The statement puts to rest days of speculation over captaincy of the Indian men's cricket team. There were several reports that suggested that Kohli will be stepping down as the skipper to focus more on his batting.