MS Dhoni announces retirement from Test cricket; Virat Kohli to captain Sydney Test

MS Dhoni

Indian captain MS Dhoni has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect following the draw in the third match of the four-match Test series against Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Virat Kohli will be captaining the last Test, at Sydney. Australia have already won the series.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel released a statement saying, "One of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the number one team in the Test rankings, MS Dhoni has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket.”

"Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats. "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."

Dhoni has so far played 90 Tests for India, scoring 4876 runs at an average of 38.09. The 33-year-old has 6 centuries and 33 half-centuries to his name. In his 60 Tests as captain, he has 27 wins, 18 losses and 15 draws.

Under Dhoni, India reached the No. 1 ranking in 2009 in Test cricket. Dhoni holds the world record for the most number of stumpings in international cricket history.

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