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Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik stated that Virat Kohli has taken the Test side to a very strong place and would be having a very good reason behind leaving captaincy in the longest format.

Former India skipper Virat Kohli had stepped down from captaincy in the longest format of the game earlier this month after the country suffered a 1-2 series defeat against South Africa in the three-match series. Last year, the 33-year-old had also stepped down as T20I captain and then was removed as the ODI leader after the selectors wanted one leader for white-ball formats.

While interacting with ANI, Karthik opened up on Kohli stepping down as Test captain, how coach Rahul Dravid would ensure workload management of his players and also spoke about BCCI's decision to hold Ranji Trophy in two phases this season.

"I remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly that India as a cricketing nation is very hard to have split captaincy. It is unfair for me to answer this question because only Virat knows why he took that decision to step down as captain, and I am sure he has a good reason behind it. He has led India so well and taken the Test team to a very strong place. As a person who has been part of the team and has played under him, I know the amount of effort he puts in every time he goes out on the field," Karthik told ANI.

"He gives it everything he has. It has been a great joy for me to have been part of that journey. He has been one of the top captains for India in Test cricket. I hope when he turns back, he looks at all the pleasant memories and the good memories and he has a good time thinking about the success he has had as the captain," added the 36-year-old wicketkeeper-batter.

On February 6, India will take on West Indies in the first ODI of the three-match series, it will become the first team to play 1000 ODI matches in international cricket.

Talking about this milestone, Karthik said: "To be the first team to play 1000 ODIs is a phenomenal achievement. It is hard to put it into perspective considering India has been playing for a long time now. But to play 1000 ODIs is no joke. I am so proud to be part of that journey. I have enjoyed playing the ODI format. We have been good at it. We have been a strong force over a period of few decades.

"We do have a lot of matches but players are given ample opportunity to rest. Rahul Dravid is the kind of person who will encourage players to speak how they are feeling mentally and physically. He will accommodate players' wishes in terms of giving rest, so I think India is in a very safe space right now," he added.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced that Ranji Trophy will be conducted in two phases with the knockouts being staged in June. The tournament was slated to begin in January this year, but it had to be postponed due to the rising Covid-19 cases in the country.

"It will be a completely different challenge playing the Ranji Trophy this time because of the way it is being scheduled this time around. We all understand the situation; everything has changed with the Covid-19 pandemic. So I am very happy that BCCI has decided to go ahead with this. As players, we have to be careful because these are tough times and we need to ensure that we stay as safe as possible," said Karthik, who has played 26 Tests for the country.

He further said, "I am very excited about the auction, I am looking forward to it and will try to make a difference to whichever franchise I am picked by. The aim is not to play the IPL but to do something significant for the franchise I am picked by. I am open to playing for any team. I am looking forward to this journey of me being a part of an IPL team and doing well personally."