NEW DELHI, India: The Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect.
“One of India’s greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the test rankings, MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a press release.
“BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India. Virat Kohli will be the captain of the Indian team for the fourth and final Test against Australia to be played in Sydney,” the release added.
News Alert – MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect #MSD #Captain
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 30, 2014
News Alert – Virat will be the captain for the 4th and Final Test against Australia #MSD #AusvsInd
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 30, 2014
The announcement came shortly after the third Test of the four-match series between Indian and Australia ended in draw in Melbourne. With the match ended in draw, Australia have won the series as they secured victories in their first two Test matches against India, and forced the visiting side to face another overseas Test series loss.
The 33-year-old Dhoni is India’s most successful captain, having presided over 27 wins in his 60-Test tenure which began in 2008.
Dhoni led India to the No. 1 Test ranking in 2009, a position they enjoyed until the tour of England in 2011.
Overall, Dhoni played 90 Tests in a career that began in 2005 and scored 4876 runs at an average of 38, with a high score of 224 against Australia in Chennai in 2013. As a wicketkeeper, he effected 294 dismissals, the fifth highest in Test cricket.
