Mahendra Singh Dhoni Retires as Test Captain; Virat Kohli Takes Over

MS Dhoni in action during Australia series. He announced his retirement from Tests after the end of the Melbourne match after a career which saw him feature in 90 games.

© AFP

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect. The decision comes after India drew the third Test in Melbourne on Tuesday. Out of the 90 Tests he played, Dhoni led India in 60 matches. Dhoni finished with most Test wins as India captain (27), beating the previous best of 21 wins held by Sourav Ganguly. (MS Dhoni, Ashwin ensure MCG draw)

well done on a wonderful career in test cricket @msdhoni. Always enjoyed playing together. Next target 2015 WC my friend!!

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 30, 2014

A BCCI statement said: “One of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No.1 team in the Test rankings Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket. Dhoni has chosen to retire from Tests with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODIs and T20 formats. (Dhoni knew Kohli was ready for Test captaincy: Sunil Gavaskar)

"BCCI, while respecting the decision of Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Tests and the laurels that he has brought to India."

Virat Kohli will captain India in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Sydney from January 6. India have already lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy having lost the first two Tests in Adelaide and Brisbane. Kohli had led in the first Test when Dhoni preferred to rest his injured right hand.

Dhoni bowed out of Test cricket in style. In his final series in Australia, Dhoni became the first Indian wicketkeeper to effect nine dismissals in a Test match in Melbourne.

Valiant while you led. Valiant in your departure. #Respect@msdhonipic.twitter.com/w6xdnebG3s

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) December 30, 2014

Overall, he became the third wicketkeeper to achieve the feat versus Australia, the first two being David Murray (West Indies) at Melbourne in December 1981 and Ridley Jacobs (West Indies) at Melbourne in December 2000.

With the bat, MS Dhoni also became the first Indian batsman to complete 10,000 runs or more as captain in international cricket, joining Ricky Ponting (15440), Graeme Smith (14878), Stephen Fleming (11561) and Allan Border (11062).