'Sad day for me personally' - Ravi Shastri pens heartfelt note after Virat Kohli steps down as India Test captain

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri bid an emotional goodbye to Indian Test captain Virat Kohli, who stepped down from the position on January 15 after the conclusion of the South Africa series which India lost 1-2.

Under the Kohli-Shastri duo, India reached unparalleled heights, including Test series victory in Australia in 2018-19, while the team also leads the five-Test series against England 2-1 with a Test left after it was postponed due to the emergence of Covid-19 cases in the Indian camp.

In a tweet, Shastri wrote: “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.”

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 pic.twitter.com/lQC3LvekOf

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) January 15, 2022

Apart from thanking the BCCI and his team members in his signing off note, Kohli specifically mentioned two names, Shastri and MS Dhoni. He termed Shastri and the support staff the “engine behind this vehicle that moved us upwards in Test Cricket consistently” while he expressed gratitude to former skipper Dhoni for believing “in me as a Captain and found me to be an able individual who could take Indian Cricket forward”.

I cannot be dishonest to my team: Virat Kohli

“It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance everyday to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there,” his statement read.

“Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s 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. I have always believed in giving my 120 per cent in everything I do, and if I can’t do that, I know it’s not the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team.

“I want to thank the BCCI for giving me the opportunity to lead my country for such a long period of time and more importantly to all the teammates who bought into the vision I had for the team from day one and never gave up in any situation. You guys have made this journey so memorable and beautiful.

“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. 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.”

Kohli bowed out as the fourth most successful Test captain – behind Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh – and most successful Indian, having won 40 of the 68 Tests he led.