Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir doesn't think Virat Kohli's role will change in the team after quitting the Test captaincy. Kohli announced his decision to step down as Test captain on Saturday (January 15).

Gambhir, speaking on Star Sports' show Game Plan, said captaincy isn't anyone's birthright and leaders like MS Dhoni have also given up captaincy to play under someone else. He is looking forward to Kohli focusing on his batting and scoring important runs for his team.

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"What new do you want to see? Captaincy is not anyone's birthright. People like MS Dhoni have given the captaincy baton to Virat Kohli, he has played under Virat Kohli as well. He has won three ICC trophies and four IPL trophies as well."

“I think Kohli should look to score runs and that is more important. When you dream of playing for India, you don't dream to become a captain. You dream of winning games for India and nothing changes, except that you are not going out there to do the toss and set the field placement, but your energy and intensity should remain the same because it's an honor playing for the country," Gambhir said.

The 33-year-old will take the field against South Africa in the ODI series under the captaincy of stand-in skipper KL Rahul. This will be the first time Kohli will play under someone after taking over full-time captaincy of Team India.

Speaking further, Gambhir said Kohli's role will remain the same as it was when he led the Indian side. "Exactly the same what he had when he was captaining the side. Batting at No. 3, scoring lots and lots of runs, and probably anchoring the innings as well. When Rohit Sharma comes in with KL Rahul at the top of the order, Kohli's role doesn't change one bit.

“As I just mentioned apart from not going for the toss and setting the field placements, rest everything remains the same. He has got to bat at No.3, he has got to score a lot of runs in white-ball cricket. So I am sure, I think nothing changes,” he concluded. 

(With Star Sports Inputs)