The news that Virat Kohli has stepped down as India’s Test cricket captain comes as a great shock. He is one of the best cricketers in the world, a brilliant batsman and strategist. Under his leadership, India has won many matches and tournaments at home and abroad. He still has a lot of cricket in him and is a great asset to the country. Yes, India lost the three-match Test series to South Africa. So what? There is no point in blaming Kohli for this. After all, there is an element of chance in every game. As for Kohli himself, he should not get too upset over the loss, or over the caustic comments being made about him. We all go through tough times but we need to hang on and show grit. Kohli should think practically, focus on the game and perhaps become a bit more thick-skinned. This is a player who has contributed much to his sport and his country. He is a role model for cricketers worldwide, not to mention youngsters aspiring to a career in sport. With nearly 180 million followers on Instagram – almost twice as many as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi – Kohli has huge influence that he should hold on to. He also commands among the highest advertisement fees of any sports personality in the world, having reportedly been paid US$680,000 for a single Instagram post. If he is no longer captain of the Indian team, his marketing value could take a beating. I hope the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the cricket authorities will persuade Kohli to withdraw his resignation and remain at the helm of India’s Test cricket team. Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai