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Virat Kohli's Test career is a story of evolution, dominance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. From a promising young talent to India's most successful Test captain and a modern-day batting great, Kohli has left an indelible mark on the game. This essay will delve into the various facets of his Test career, analyzing his batting records, captaincy achievements, and the impact he had on Indian cricket. Kohli's journey began with his Test debut in the West Indies in 2011, after a few years of playing ODIs. The initial phase was a learning curve, with inconsistent performances leading to a brief period where he was dropped from the team. This setback, however, proved to be a catalyst for his growth. The turning point came during the disastrous 2011/12 tour of Australia. While the Indian team struggled, Kohli emerged as a beacon of hope, scoring the only century for the visitors and finishing as their leading run-scorer. This performance solidified his place in the Test side and marked the beginning of his ascent. The 2012/13 home season saw Kohli cement his position as a key member of the Indian middle order. He scored centuries in both home series, showcasing his growing confidence and ability to perform under pressure. However, his struggles in England in 2014 exposed vulnerabilities in his technique against the moving ball. He managed only 134 runs in ten innings, highlighting the need for improvement and adaptation. This series served as a wake-up call and spurred him to work on his game. The period following the England series marked the start of Kohli's golden era. He embarked on a remarkable run of form, scoring runs consistently and leading India to unprecedented success. From October 2014 to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Kohli amassed 5385 runs at an average of 61.19, including 21 centuries. During this period, he was arguably the best batsman in the world, consistently outperforming his peers. Only Steven Smith surpassed him in terms of both average and hundreds scored during that time. Kohli's captaincy also played a crucial role in India's success during this period. He took over the captaincy full-time after the 2014/15 tour of Australia and instilled a culture of aggression and a desire to win. His leadership transformed the Indian team into a formidable force, capable of winning both at home and abroad. He was very passionate about winning. After the pandemic, Kohli experienced a dip in form. Although a natural slump might be expected, he struggled to replicate the highs of his peak years. In the 37 Tests he played after the pandemic, he averaged just 32.09, failing to score as many centuries as he would have liked. This decline in form led to him relinquishing the captaincy and eventually retiring from Test cricket. Despite the relatively quiet end to his career, Kohli's overall impact on Test cricket remains undeniable. He finishes as India's fourth-highest run-getter in Tests, with 9230 runs, and the fourth-highest century-maker, with 30 centuries. He also holds the record for the most Test wins as an Indian captain, with 40 victories. Kohli's contribution as a Test captain is a defining aspect of his career. He led India to 40 Test wins, 13 more than the second-best captain in Indian history. He also led India to 16 away wins, including series wins in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. The crowning glory of his captaincy was leading India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018/19. This victory was a testament to his leadership and the team's resilience. India never lost a home series under Kohli's captaincy, winning all 11 series they played. This period coincided with India's unprecedented home dominance, where they won 18 consecutive series between 2013 and 2024. Kohli's captaincy was characterized by his aggressive approach and his willingness to take risks in pursuit of victory. He instilled a belief in the team that they could win from any situation. This approach was evident in his first Test as captain when he set out to chase a 350+ target on the final day. Though India fell short, his intent sent a message. Kohli also became only the second captain to score hundreds in each innings of his maiden Test in charge, emulating Greg Chappell. Kohli's desire to win led to the development of India's fast bowling arsenal. He recognized the importance of having quality fast bowlers to win Test matches, especially away from home. Under his leadership, India unearthed and nurtured some of their greatest fast bowlers, who played a crucial role in their success. Between 2016 and 2019, Kohli achieved unprecedented success across all formats of the game. He scored more runs and centuries than any other player in international cricket during this period. His average in Tests was 66.79, in ODIs it was 80.98, and in T20Is it was 59.88. This period was characterized by his consistency and his ability to dominate across formats. Kohli also scored seven double centuries during this period, an Indian record. Each of these double centuries came between 2016 and 2019, highlighting his peak form. He also became the first and only batsman to score double centuries in four consecutive series. From the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 2014/15 to the Pune Test against South Africa in October 2019, Kohli amassed 4923 runs at an average of 63.94. Only Sachin Tendulkar had a more productive 50-Test sequence in his career. Kohli aggregated 1000+ runs at 55+ average in each of the three years between 2016 and 2018. Only Matthew Hayden, Brian Lara, and Steven Smith have achieved this feat. Kohli was India's talismanic batsman during their 18-series unbeaten run at home between 2013 and 2024. He scored 3652 runs at an average of 59.87, including 12 centuries. He also excelled away from home, especially in 2018 when India became the first Asian side to win Tests in Australia, England, and South Africa in the same calendar year. Kohli top-scored in the series in South Africa, hitting the only three-figure score across the three Tests. He also had a memorable series in England, scoring 593 runs across five Tests. His battle against James Anderson was one of the highlights of the series. After struggling against Anderson in 2014, Kohli dominated him in 2018, not getting out to him even once in 270 balls. Of his first 11 Test hundreds, Kohli went past 150 only once. However, in his next 11 Test hundreds, he was dismissed for under 150 only once. This shows his increasing ability to convert hundreds into big scores. Kohli hit seven double centuries in his Test career, all of which came between 2016 and 2019. This is the joint fourth-most by any batsman in Tests and the best by an Indian player. Kohli's conversion rate from fifties to hundreds is also impressive. Of the 61 times he reached 50, he crossed the three-figure mark in as many as 30 of those. Among the 59 players to have registered at least 40 scores of 50 or more, Kohli has the sixth-best conversion rate. Nearly half of Kohli's Tests were played in SENA countries and the West Indies. He scored 4441 runs at an average of 41.89 in these countries, the third-best among Indian batsmen behind Tendulkar and Dravid. He also scored 14 centuries in these countries, only behind Tendulkar and Gavaskar. Kohli had two series where he hit 500+ runs in SENA countries, showing his ability to perform in challenging conditions. Overall, Virat Kohli's Test career is a testament to his talent, hard work, and dedication. He has achieved remarkable success both as a batsman and as a captain, and his impact on Indian cricket is undeniable. He will be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time. He made a significant impact and is remembered by many.
Source: Kohli's career from being India's most successful Test captain to mastering big 100s