Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of India’s greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test rankings, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all three formats. Virat Kohli will be the captain of the Indian Team for the Fourth Test against Australia to be played in Sydney from 6 January 2015, the BCCI said in a statement. Wriddhiman Saha will take over the gloves for the Sydney Test. “MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect,” the said on its Twitter feed.

Dhoni retires from Test cricket, Virat Kohli to lead:

A maverick to the last, Indian captain M.S. Dhoni suddenly announced his retirement from Test cricket after the third Test ended in a draw at the MCG on Tuesday. Dhoni flagged no such intention at the formal post-match media conference, instead pulling stumps on Twitter half an hour later. The shock announcement came minutes after Dhoni faced reporters in the wake of India’s draw in the third Test against Australia in Melbourne, which conceded the four-match series 2-0 to the hosts.

Dhoni, 33, said nothing of his retirement plans during the post-match media conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the news was broken on the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI’s twitter feed.

Dhoni played 90 Tests in which he scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.09, with six hundreds and 33 fifties. He captained India in 60 of those Tests, winning a record 27 matches while losing 18 and drawing 15. His initial record as captain was superb as he won eight of his first 11 Tests but India has struggled, especially away from home, since 2011. Dhoni retirement comes with him one defeat away from equalling the record for most away defeats as captain – 16 – held by New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming and West Indies Brian Lara.

Records of MS Dhoni in Test Cricket:

Reasons behind the Retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni?

 1. MS Dhoni retires from Test cricket due to ‘strain of playing all formats’

MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T 20 formats. “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 said.

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.”

2. Dhoni quits tests after India lose series to Australia

The third test between Australia and India in Melbourne failed to deliver a nail-biting finish on Tuesday but ended with a draw tinged with controversy and the shock retirement of long-serving India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni from test cricket.

3. Ex-Cricketers Advice to step down as Test Captain

In recent years, many ex-cricketers have called for Dhoni to step down as Test captain as India lost series in embarrassing fashion in Australia and England. Kohli’s aggressive performance as captain in the first Test in Adelaide amplified those voices further. But still, Dhoni’s decision to step down in the middle of the series will surprise many, especially since he has called time on his Test career, not just as captain.

4. Due to Health Problem

‘Dhoni is not feeling good. He is going to be examined. He has a hamstring issue,’ a source in the BCCI said in Mumbai. In the Tri-Nation series Dhoni hamstring injury which was sustained while batting in the first match against West Indies on Sunday. This may be one of the reason behind his retirement.

“But the exact reason behind the retirement of Indian Captain MS Dhoni was still unknown”

Yet the wicketkeeper-batsman remains one of the most successful captains ever for India, having led the side to the top of ICC rankings in Tests and ODIs. Dhoni was to the last a mysterious figure. He arrived late for this tour, nursing a hamstring strain and amid speculation that he was preserving himself for the World Cup. He missed the first Test, but played the last two. His keeping has been as solid as ever, but he was a lesser batsman. Nonetheless, India is bound to miss him.