"He will be an important member to take this team to newer heights" - BCCI boss Sourav Ganguly after Virat Kohli resigned as Test captain

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has hailed Virat Kohli for his immense contribution to Indian cricket during his tenure as Test captain.

Kohli, India's most successful Test captain, stood down as skipper on Saturday, a day after his side lost the Test series in South Africa 2-1.

Taking to Twitter, former India captain Ganguly wrote:

"Under Virat's leadership Indian cricket has made rapid strides in all formats of the game... his decision is a personal one and BCCI respects it immensely.. he will be an important member to take this team to newer heights in the future. A great player.well done ..@BCCI @imVkohli."

Kohli finished with 40 wins in 68 Tests, only behind Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh on the all-time list. Kohli's India made the top spot in the ICC Test rankings their own.

During his reign as Test captain, India won their first series in Australia in 2018-19. India also reached the final of the World Test Championship before losing to New Zealand in the final. Kohli & Co were leading a Test series 2-1 in England before the fifth and final Test was called off due to Covid-19 fears in the Indian camp.

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"Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it's now" - Virat Kohli

The 33-year-old Kohli, who took over as full-time Test captain from MS Dhoni in 2014, announced his decision to step down on social media.

"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. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it's now," he wrote.

He added:

"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 percent 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."