Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli announced on Thursday that he will be quitting as the T20I captain after the completion of the men’s T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE in October.

Through his official Twitter account, Kohli has thanked everyone who have supported him in his journey as the captain of the Indian team in all formats. He also said that he has given everything to the team as the T20I captain and will continue to contribute to the team as a batsman in future.

🇮🇳 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ds7okjhj9J

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 16, 2021

Regular captain Virat Kohli on Sunday strongly condemned reported incidents of racial abuse during the third Test between Australia and India, saying it was sad to see what happened with his teammates at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Taking to Twitter, Kohli — who is in India for the birth of first child — said that strict action should be taken against the offenders to set things straight.

“Racial abuse is absolutely unacceptable. Having gone through many incidents of really pathetic things said on the boundary lines, this is the absolute peak of rowdy behaviour. It’s sad to see this happen on the field,” Kohli said.

“The incident needs to be looked at with absolute urgency and seriousness and strict action against the offenders should set things straight for once,” he added.

The Indian team had apprised match referee David Boon of alleged racial abuse at the end of the third day’s play. Match and stadium officials were alert on the fourth day and as such play was halted and six people were evicted following another incident just before Tea during Australia’s second innings.

Sunday’s incident followed alleged racial abuse of Indian players — Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj — by a section of the SCG crowd, the complaint of which was officially made by the Indian team on Saturday.

Right-arm pacer Mohammad Shami also condemned the incidents and said it was disappointing to see his teammates becoming subject to racial abuse repeatedly in Sydney.

“Disappointing to see that my teammates were subjected to racial abuse repeatedly in Sydney. There is no place for racism in today’s world and it is not acceptable. I hope that strict action is taken against those who misbehaved,” he tweeted.

“I personally have heard many things on the field while playing in Australia about me, my religion, my colour and much more. This isn’t the first time the crowd is doing this nonsense. How do you stop them??? #AUSvIND,” tweeted Harbhajan Singh while condemning the incidents.

VVS Laxman tweeted: “Very unfortunate to see what’s happening at SCG. There is no place for this rubbish. Never understood the need to yell abuse at players on a sporting field. If you’re not here to watch the game and can’t be respectful then please don’t come and spoil the atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) has apologised to Team India and assured strict action against the offenders.

“CA is awaiting the outcome of the International Cricket Council’s investigation into the matter reported at the SCG on Saturday. Once those responsible are identified, CA will take the strongest measures possible under our Anti-Harassment Code, including lengthy bans, further sanctions and referral to NSW Police. As series hosts, we unreservedly apologise to our friends in the Indian cricket team and assure them we will prosecute the matter to its fullest extent,” said Carroll, Cricket Australia’s Head of Integrity and Security in an official statement.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) also condemned the incidents of racism and said it has offered Cricket Australia all necessary support in investigating the incidents.

“There is no place for discrimination in our sport and we are incredibly disappointed that a small minority of fans may think that this abhorrent behaviour is acceptable,” said ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney.

Team India skipper Virat Kohli is a modern-day idol for many youngsters. He has innumerable records to his name in the game of cricket and his popularity can also be judged by his brand endorsements which is currently highest among celebrities in India.

According to a study by global advisory firm, Duff and Phelps, Kohli topped the brand valuation list for the third consecutive year as his value rose by an impressive 39 per cent to $237.5 million in 2019.

In the study titled Celebrity Brand Valuation Study 2019: “New is Gold.” which provides a ranking of India’s most powerful celebrities based on brand values derived from their endorsement contracts, the 31-year-old Indian skipper was ahead of many Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shah Rukh Khan.

Akshay Kumar is second in the list when it comes to brand endorsements with brand value of $104.5 million, at a growth of 55.3 per cent.

Celebrated Bollywood couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika, claimed the third spot with a brand value of $93.5 million each. Deepika retained her most valuable female celebrity status for the second consecutive year whereas Ranveer moved up a spot, to now occupy the same position as that of his wife.

The other sportspersons in the list are all cricketers with M.S. Dhoni claiming the 9th position with a value of $41.2 million, Sachin Tendulkar taking the 15th spot and Rohit Sharma in the 20th place.

Kohli is currently leading Team India in New Zealand in the three-match ODI series. India had won the five-match T20I series 5-0 and would now be looking to stage a comeback in the ODI series after they lost the first match on Wednesday.

Run-machine Virat Kohli added another feather to his cap on Wednesday when he surpassed former skipper M.S. Dhoni to score most runs in T20Is as India captain.

Kohli took only 37 matches to go past Dhoni’s tally of 1112 runs as captain in T20I cricket. South Africa captain Faf du Plessis holds the record for most runs as captain in T20I cricket with 1273 runs. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has 1148 runs in T20Is.

Kohli finished the Hamilton T20I with 1126 runs (as captain). The India captain was dismissed for 38 from 27 balls in the penultimate over of the innings as he perished while eyeing a late charge.

New Zealand paceman Hamish Bennett took three wickets to put Rohit Sharma’s half century in a shade as the hosts restricted India to 179/5 in 20 overs in the third T20I at Seddan Park.

India raced to 69/0 in the first six overs and it looked like New Zealand’s ploy of asking India to bat first to blunt their strength of chasing would fall flat. But the Kiwi bowlers came back beautifully to tighten the screws on the Indian batsmen. The visitors made some ground in the final over as Manish Pandey and Ravindra Jadeja hit a six each to take 18 off Tim Southee’s over.

India beat South Africa by 36 runs in the second ODI at the SCA stadium in Rajkot to level the three-match series between the two sides 1-1. Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli helped India post a total of 341 to chase. In response, Australia were all out for 304 despite Steve Smith scoring 98.

Openers David Warner and Aaron Finch, who posted a record 258-run stand to help Australia stroll to a win in the first ODI, could not do a repeat of their heroics with the former being dismissed in the fourth over. Smith came in at number three and put up 62 with Finch before the Australian captain fell to Ravindra Jadeja on account of a close stumping call in the 16th over.

Finch had attempted to hit Jadeja over extra cover but missed the delivery due to the turn. Finch dragged his backfoot marginally outside the crease and wicketkeeper Rahul whipped the bails off immediately. Replays made it a tough call for the umpire to make but the decision went India’s way in the end.

However, Marnus Labuschagne, playing his first ODI innings, stuck on with Smith and the pair gave Australia the upper hand in the middle overs. They put up 96 for the third wicket before Labuschagne holed out at mid-off off Jadeja on 46. Smith however looked settled and was cruising to his ninth ODI ton when a loose shot cost him his wicket.

Kuldeep Yadav, who was wicketless in the first eight overs, bowled the 38th over and got Carey when the latter sent the ball straight to Kohli at extra cover. It was Kuldeep’s 100th ODI wicket and two balls later, Smith played on and had to walk back two runs shy of his hundred.

Ashton Turner and Pat Cummins were dismissed off consecutive deliveries by Mohammed Shami in the 44th over. Both players were done in by pinpoint yorkers directed at the middle stump. Shami sent in a leg stump yorker for his hat-trick ball and hit Mitchell Starc on his pads but the umpire didn’t raise his finger with the ball clearly going down the leg side.

Navdeep Saini then got India closer in the 47th with the wickets of Ashton Agar and Starc off the first and third balls of the over. Kane Richardson then delayed the inevitable by smashing Mohammed Shami for three fours and a six in the penultimate over. Jasprit Bumrah ended the match by dismissing Adam Zampa off the first ball of the last over.

Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan scored his third straight fifty with a sublime 96 from 90 balls, his innings laced with 13 fours and a six as skipper Kohli smashed a 76-ball 78 (6×4). But it was Rahul, batting at No.5 who gave India the much-needed push in the last ten overs with his aggressive batting and range of shots. Rahul was run out in the final over for 80 off just 52 balls, his quickfire knock studded with six fours and three sixes.

For the Aussies, leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/50.

The decisive third ODI will be played on Sunday at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.

Brief scores: India: 340/6 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 96, KL Rahul 80, Virat Kohli 78; Adam Zampa 3/50) vs Australia 304 (Steve Smith 98, Marnus Labuschagne 46; Mohammed Shami 3/77)

Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul cracked fluent half centuries as India threw down the gauntlet at Australia by posting a challenging 340/6 in 50 overs in the second one day international here on Friday. The Indians were penalised five runs for repeated running on the pitch and that will see Australia start the chase at 5/0. The incident took place in the 48th over with Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease.

Dhawan scored his third straight fifty with a sublime 96 from 90 balls, his innings laced with 13 fours and a six as skipper Kohli smashed a 76-ball 78 (6×4). But it was Rahul, batting at No.5 as the regular keeper in place of Rishabh Pant, who gave India the much-needed push in the last ten overs with his aggressive batting and range of shots. Rahul was run out in the final over for 80 off just 52 balls, his quickfire knock studded with six fours and three sixes.

For the Aussies, leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/50.

Put in to bat first by Aussie captain Aaron Finch, India got off to a steady start with Rohit and Dhawan looking in control of proceedings on a flat deck which later proved to be a batting paradise.

The pair added 81 runs for the opening wicket in 14 overs with Dhawan looking in sublime touch and Rohit also finding the middle of the bat. Zampa broke the stand as he trapped Rohit in front. Rohit missed a sweep but felt the ball was missing the leg stump and went for a review only to be proven wrong.

But it did not dent India’s surge as Kohli walked in — back at his usual No. 3 position after dropping a rung in the first ODI — to join hands with Dhawan for a century-run partnership in which Dhawan score 61 runs.

The Delhi southpaw looked good to score a hundred but against the run of play, holed out to Mithcell Starc at fine leg off Kane Richardson in the 29th over.

It was, nonetheless, an innings to cherish as Dhawan continued his love affair with Australia by driving, cutting and sweeping to perfection. Dhawan brought up the 100-run stand with Kohli with a delectable straight drive over Richardson’s head just before getting out.

Just after the Dhawan show, Kohli took over in his peerless fashion. The ace batsman played some exquiste shots and kept the scoreboard ticking with some excellent running to propel India to 249/3 in 40 overs.

But just as he and Rahul looked to tee off in the last 10 overs, Zampa sent Kohli back in the 44th, this time thanks to a brilliant relayed catch on the fence which was completed by Starc. Ashton Agar, who had an off day with the ball, took a clean catch about six inches from the rope and lobbed the ball over to Starc as the Aussies broke the 78-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Australia got another wicket in the next over, Manish Pandey (2) getting caught by Agar cheaply off Kane Richardson.

But Rahul ensured a collapse like the last game was not on the cards as he hit Starc for 15 runs in the 46th over to bring up his fifty as India rode his fireworks to pile up 91 runs in the last 10 overs.

Rahul looked at his best when he came up against Pat Cummins who had bowled brilliantly till then albeit without a wicket. Rahul hit him for two fours despite his first three balls getting the better of the batsman as 14 came of the 49th over. Crossing the 350-run mark was on the card, but sadly Rahul’s dismissal left India 10 short.

Brief Scores: India: 340/6 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 96, KL Rahul 80, Virat Kohli 78; Adam Zampa 3/50) vs Australia

India skipper Virat Kohli is surprised to have won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for 2019 on Wednesday, as for many years he has been under the scanner for all the wrong reasons.

Back in 2008, when the 20-year-old broke into the international circuit, he gave the impression of being an immensely talented but temperamental kid who never shied away from verbal spats and taking on the opposition.

“I’m surprised that I have got it, after many years of being under the scanner for the wrong things,” Kohli said in a statement issued by the ICC.

Whenever he used to reach a milestone, it was for sure that fans would see some of the choicest expletives come out of his mouth.

While his predecessors like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman preferred talking with the bat, Kohli never shied away from giving it back to the opposition whenever they crossed the line and would rather come out with more intense reaction, thus provoking the person concerned.

He was even called a “spoilt brat” by Australian cricketers after the culmination of numerous events that unfolded during India’s 2014 tour Down Under.

While he was still scoring runs, more often than not, Kohli was involved in controversies and was criticised by many in the cricket fraternity.

Not to forget the famous Sydney Test where after being sledged by the crowd, Kohli was seen flipping the bird to the crowd, something which he later said he regretted doing.

The Delhi boy, who had swept the Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year for 2018, has won the award for 2019 for his gesture at last year’s World Cup, when he egged the crowd on to support Australian batsman Steve Smith rather than boo him soon after his return to international cricket from a one-year suspension for the infamous sandpaper-gate controversy.

Explaining his reasons for backing Smith the way he did, Kohli said: “It is part of camaraderie that sportsmen must have with each other. That moment was purely understanding an individual’s situation.”

“I don’t think a guy who is coming out of a situation like that needs to be taken advantage of. You can sledge, can have banter on the field, you say things to the opposition in wanting to beat them. But booing someone is not in the spirit of any sport, I don’t endorse it.

“Also, that should not be a representation of our fans and what we stand as a cricketing nation, a sporting nation. We need to all take responsibility towards that,” he added.

It’s the same Smith whom, Kohli had accused of cheating in the DRS usage during Australia’s tour of India in 2017.

Smith, the then Australia captain, had set off a storm of controversy in the second Test when he looked to his dressing room for help while deciding whether to call for a review into his lbw dismissal in Bengaluru — describing the moment a “brain fade”.

“Intimidate the opposition, definitely try and have an upper hand but in a matter that is not targeting someone emotionally. That is not acceptable at any level and people should be wary of that,” Kohli says while urging fans not to be too harsh on players and refrain from making personal comments.

Cut to recent years and one will see that while the aggression and passion for the game remains the same, Kohli has now become much more relaxed and is in a space where he is not only leading the team to new heights but is also setting an example for youngsters.