Virat Kohli quitting Test captaincy was an emotional moment, no one expected it: Shardul Thakur
India Today
Shardul Thakur highlighted that India achieved a lot of success under Virat Kohli and not many in the team saw his decision to quit Test captaincy coming.
India all-rounder Shardul Thakur said not many in the team saw it coming when Virat Kohli announced his decision to quit Test captaincy, saying it was an emotional moment for the team. Kohli brought an end to his 7-year-long tenure as India captain last month. He announced his decision to quit Test captaincy a day after India lost a Test series in South Africa in January.
Shardul Thakur made his Test debut under Virat Kohli's captaincy in 2018 and returned to the side only in 2021. However, he played a key role in India's historic Test victory at the Gabba last year and dominated with both bat and ball during India's tour of England under Kohli's captaincy last year.
Shardul Thakur, who has played 5 Tests under Kohli's captaincy, highlighted that India began dominating away from home during the former skipper's rein and they were competitive even in the defeats they suffered.
Kohli finished as India's most successful Test captain, clinching 40 victories in 68 matches, and never lost a series at home. Kohli's decision to quit Test captaincy had helped quite a few eyebrows as he had said in September last year that he wanted to continue as ODI and Test captain after stepping down from T20I captaincy.
"It was an emotional moment for everyone. No one expected that he would resign from Test captaincy," Thakur told The Indian Express.
"We did well under his captaincy, especially overseas. Those series we lost overseas were close ones. The team was doing well under him and no one expected this. However, now that he has made his decision, everyone should respect it," he added.
Virat Kohli has said he will do his best and contribute as a batter to India's success in the future, adding that he doesn't have to be a captain to be a leader in the team.
