No one expected that Virat Kohli would resign from Test captaincy, it was an emotional moment for the team: Shardul Thakur

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has revealed no one in the team expected that Virat Kohli would resign from Test captaincy. Kohli stepped down from the job after his side lost the three-match series to South Africa by 1-2. The 33-year-old has led the team in the longest format in 68 Tests and the team has won 40.

Earlier, the right-hander had left the T20I captaincy ahead of the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Ahead of the South Africa tour, he was removed from the ODI captaincy. The team was clean swept by the Proteas in the three-match ODI series.

Meanwhile, Thakur has said that Kohli leaving the captaincy was an emotional moment for the team. He added that the team did well, especially overseas.

“It was an emotional moment for everyone. No one expected that he would resign from Test captaincy," Thakur told 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.”

Virat Kohli left an emotional message for the fans on social media

The Delhi-born player had left an emotional message for the fans on his social media after resigning from the Test captaincy. He said that the seven years consisted of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance.

“It has been seven years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance everyday to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honest and left nothing out there. Every thing has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now,” Kohli wrote on his official social media platforms.