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Few days back, a report by TOI had made a sensational claim that Virat Kohli would step down from captaincy after the end of 2021 T20 World Cup. While BCCI dismissed the reports at that time, Kohli himself stunned everyone on Thursday when he announced that he will step down as India's T20I captain after the mega event to manage the immense workload.
Despite being aware about something like this could happen, the news came as a major shock to all the Indian cricket fans. The timing of the announcement was also quite questionable considering the fact that World Cup is just a month away from now. However, it was a mutual decision by Kohli, team management and BCCI keeping in mind the welfare of both the individual and the team in longer run.
While Kohli cleared everything through his heartwarming letter, BCCI president and secretary have also reacted to the 32-year-old moving aside from the leadership duties in the shortest format of the game.
Read More: Virat Kohli to step down as India’s T20I captain after World Cup in UAE
Virat has been a true asset for Indian Cricket: Ganguly
BCCI released an official statement on their website, announcing Virat Kohli's decision to step down as captain after the mega event. The governing body however confirmed that the right-handed batsman will be available for selection in T20Is after the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Reflecting on the same, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said, "Virat has been a true asset for Indian Cricket and has led with aplomb. He is one of the most successful captains in all the formats. The decision has been made keeping in mind the future roadmap. We thank Virat for his tremendous performance as the T20I Captain. We wish him all the best for the upcoming World Cup and beyond and hope that he continues to score plenty of runs for India.”
Virat will continue to contribute as a player: Jay Shah
BCCI secretary Jay Shah revealed that they have a clear roadmap for Team India. He added that he has been in discussions with Virat and the leadership team for the last six months and the decision has been thought through.
He also stated that Kohli has taken the decision considering the workloads and also to ensure that they can have smooth transition. "Virat will continue to contribute as a player and as a senior member of the side in shaping the future course of Indian cricket," Jay Shah concluded.