Ishant Sharma pens heartfelt note for Virat Kohli after he steps down as Test skipper

India pacer Ishant Sharma has thanked Virat Kohli for the "amazing memories" the former skipper gave to Team India.

Kohli on Saturday stepped down as India's Test captain after leading the side for seven years.
Ishant, who has been Kohli's friend since their childhood, penned an emotional note for the former India skipper.

"Thank you for all the memories I've shared with you in dressing room & on & off the field since childhood, where we never thought that you would be our captain & I'll play 100 test matches for India. All we did was just play cricket with all our heart & things worked out well," Ishant Sharma tweeted.

Ishant also recalled a conversation with Kohli where the former Test skipper told him about his desire to win an overseas series.

"I still remember back 2017 in South Africa, where u told me its high time to win series in these countries. Yes, we didn't win 2017-18 series in Africa, but we went to Australia & beat them in Australia. In England 2017-18 series we lost, but we know as team how close we came," said Ishant in a tweet.

"So cheers to your most successful Test Captaincy and thanks for the amazing memories as a Captain you have given us," he added.

Kohli's decision to leave Test captaincy comes a day after India lost the three-match Test series against South Africa on Friday.

Kohli's biggest win in the longest format came during 2018-19 as India won its first Test series Down Under. Under his captaincy, India also reached the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC).

Kohli holds the record for most Test appearances as India Test captain (68) and he also holds the record for most Test wins by an Indian captain (40).

(ANI)