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[caption id="attachment_33160" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Mahendra Singh Dhoni steps down as captain of the Indian Cricket Team. Image Source: twitter[/caption] Internet Desk: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has stepped down as captain of the Indian team. He will, however, be available for the selection for the One-Day International and Twenty20 International series against England and the same has been conveyed to the senior selection committee. The committee will meet on Friday (January 06) to select the team for the three-match ODI series against England starting on January 15. Although the next captain was not announced, Virat Kohli, currently captaining the Test team, is likely to take over the mantle. The press release issued by the BCCI read: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has informed the BCCI, that he wishes to step down as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team from the One Day Internationals and the T20 Internationals formats of the game. He will be available for the selection for the Paytm One Day Trophy and Paytm T20I Trophy against England and the same has been conveyed to the Senior Selection Committee. Mr Rahul Johri, Chief Executive Officer of the BCCI said, "On the behalf of every Indian cricket fan and the BCCI, I would like to thank MS Dhoni for his outstanding contribution as the captain of the Indian team across all formats. Under his leadership, Indian team has touched new heights and his achievements will remain etched forever in the annals of Indian cricket." Dhoni holds numerous captaincy records such as most wins by an Indian captain in Tests and ODIs, and most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs. He took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka followed by New Zealand. Under Dhoni's captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the CB Series of 2007–08, the 2010 Asia Cup, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. In the final of the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni scored 91 not out off 79 balls handing India the victory for which he was awarded the Man of the Match. In June 2013, when India defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy in England, Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies (World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20). After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008, he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and West Indies, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings. In 2013, under his captaincy, India became the first team in more than 40 years to whitewash Australia in a Test series. Dhoni also holds the record of playing most one day matches as captain (230 matches) which is followed by Ricky Ponting (218 matches) and Steven Fleming (199 matches). Dhoni's resignation has fetched reactions from all corners. Former BCCI President Anurag Thakur tweeted "Hey @msdhoni yuv been one of the finest leaders of Indian Cricket @BCCI, led the team to great heights & inspired so many across countries!,"

Hey @msdhoni yuv been one of the finest leaders of Indian Cricket @BCCI, led the team to great heights & inspired so many across countries! pic.twitter.com/2SQMU8T6CX

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) January 4, 2017

"I congratulate @msdhoni on an illustrious career as Capt who led #TeamIndia to memorable victories in T20WorldCup 2007 & 2011 @ICC WorldCup!," Thakur added.

I congratulate @msdhoni on an illustrious career as Capt who led #TeamIndia to memorable victories in T20WorldCup 2007 & 2011 @ICC WorldCup! pic.twitter.com/bTAZoJ9J9b — Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) January 4, 2017

India's Ex-Test captain Ajit Wadekar said,"History will remember Dhoni as an exceptional captain. He has won all ICC competitions as captain which is not easy. I believed in masterstrokes on the field in my playing days and I have seen Dhoni do it on the field too he is a quick thinker and regarding his stepping down also he has done the same thing. He has not hung to power." Raja Venkat the ex-Indian senior team selector said,"He has done the right thing at the right moment, now the trend is with Virat to captain the side and Dhoni has made way for him." Ex Bengal captain and presently Minister of state sports, West Bengal, Laxmi Ratan Shukla said,"He has always taken the right decision both on and off the field, it is wonderful to see he is not worried about achieving milestones and stepped down of his own, he did the same as Test captain now he has done as One day captain."