New Delhi– As Virat Kohli bids farewell to Test cricket, he leaves behind a monumental legacy that will be etched in the annals of the sport for generations. The 36-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest modern-day cricketers, not only transformed India’s approach to the longest format but also redefined leadership and excellence on the field.
Kohli retires with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests and a career that spanned over a decade, highlighted by unmatched consistency, fearless attitude, and a burning desire to win. From a fiery debutant in 2011 to India’s most successful Test captain, his journey has been one of relentless pursuit of greatness.
Record-Breaking Captaincy
Virat Kohli led India in 68 Test matches, winning 40 of them — the most by any Indian captain. With only 17 losses and 11 draws, his win percentage stands at an impressive 58.82%, the highest for any Indian skipper. Under his leadership, India achieved its first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018–19, ending a 71-year drought.
He also guided India to a record nine consecutive Test series victories between 2015 and 2017, equaling the world record set by Ricky Ponting. During his tenure, India dominated at home and became a force to reckon with overseas, holding the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings from 2016 to 2021 and reaching the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021.
Batting Milestones and Run-Scoring Records
Kohli finishes as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. His 30 Test centuries — including seven double hundreds — underline his hunger and technical mastery. He holds the record for:
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Most double centuries by an Indian in Tests (7)
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Most centuries by an Indian Test captain (20)
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Most runs by an Indian Test captain (5,864 at an average of 54.80)
His highest individual score came in 2019, an unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune — the highest by any Indian captain.
Dominance Against Australia
Kohli’s affinity for Australian conditions is well documented. He is the only Indian to score seven Test centuries in Australia, surpassing even Tendulkar. His final century — a determined ton in Perth during the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy — was a fitting farewell, coming against the team he tormented the most.
He also holds the rare distinction of scoring four centuries in a single overseas Test series, achieved during the 2014–15 tour of Australia — a performance that solidified his reputation as a world-class batsman.
World Test Championship and Yearly Highs
Kohli scored 2,617 runs across 47 Tests in the World Test Championship, the second-most by an Indian in the competition. In 2018, he achieved a career-high ICC Test rating of 937 points, the highest ever by an Indian batter.
He also topped India’s Test run charts in five separate calendar years — 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2023 — highlighting his enduring consistency. (Source: IANS)
