"Since it is his personal decision, we respect it" - BCCI vice president Rajiv Shulka on Virat Kohli stepping down as T20 captain
Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has come out in support of Virat Kohli after the latter decided to step down as Team India's T20I captain.
Shukla noted that Virat Kohli's contributions to the Indian team in the shortest format of the game has been immense. He added that the BCCI respects the 32-year-old's decision and is confident that the team can win the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021 under Kohli's leadership.
Speaking to ANI about Virat Kohli's decision, Rajiv Shukla said:
"His contribution in T20Is has been immense, not just as a batsman, but also as a captain. Since it is his personal decision, we respect it and I am confident we can win the T20 World Cup under his leadership."
Here is the list of all T20 World Cup super over in all editions so far, watch them here.
Here's wishing Mr. @ShuklaRajiv, Vice-President, BCCI, a very happy birthday. 🎂 👏 https://t.co/0CYbauSF7n
Understanding workload is a very important thing: Virat Kohli
In a statement about his decision to step down as captain, Virat Kohli said that he has been fortunate to lead the T20I team and thanked everyone who was a part of this journey. In his statement, Kohli said:
"I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the 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, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches, and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win."
Kohli mentioned that he would continue leading the ODI and the Test teams. Explaining this decision, he wrote:
"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 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."
🇮🇳 ❤️ https://t.co/Ds7okjhj9J
Virat Kohli, however, will continue as the skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL.