Image: Virat Kohli led India’s Test revival after a turbulent post-2011 transition phase / © ESPNCricinfo
After India’s historic win in the 2011 ODI World Cup under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, fans were filled with joy and high hopes for the future and while the team continued to dominate in One Day Internationals, their performance in Test cricket told a different story as in 2011, India toured England and suffered a heavy 4-0 whitewash in the Test series and the things didn’t improve much in 2012, as India lost a home Test series against England 2-1 and this was unusual, as India was known for being strong at home.
The troubles grew deeper when India toured Australia in 2012 and once again, the team was whitewashed 4-0 and this period saw the retirement of legends like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, leaving a huge gap in the team’s experience and stability. The bowling attack lacked sharpness, the batting lineup was shaky, and the team looked lost. Fans began to lose hope in the Test side, unsure of when India would rise again in the longer format. However, what followed in the next few years brought a massive turnaround.
India was set to tour Australia for a big Test series in 2014 and at that time, MS Dhoni was the captain of the Test team, but his record in Australia wasn’t great. With India slipping to number 7 in the ICC Test rankings, things looked tough. A young team was selected for the tour, full of fresh faces and energy. However, just before the first Test match, MS Dhoni got injured and as a result, the aggressive and passionate Virat Kohli was made the stand-in captain for the opening Test. Although India lost the first Test match, Virat Kohli impressed everyone by scoring centuries in both innings.
India came close to winning, but it was the fighting spirit that stood out. Fans and experts saw a new kind of energy and leadership in Virat Kohli as he showed hunger, belief, and the will to take Indian Test cricket forward and on 30th December 2014, after the third Test of the series, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket. The BCCI then officially made Virat Kohli the full-time Test captain and from that moment, Kohli began working towards building a strong team and his vision was clear as to take India to the top of the ICC Test rankings and to win Test series in tough overseas conditions.
In 2015, Virat Kohli took charge as India’s Test captain and transformed the team with his bold vision as he pushed for top fitness standards, set an example with his work ethic, and built a powerful pace bowling unit to compete worldwide and at home, India’s spinners, like R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, ruled the pitches. Overseas, Kohli’s fast bowlers, stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and others challenged teams in places like Australia, England, and South Africa, making India a force everywhere.
| Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | No-Result | W/L | %W | %L | %Draw | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2022 | 68 | 40 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 2.35 | 58.82% | 25.00% | 16.17% | 70.17% |
Under Kohli, India played 68 Tests, winning 40, losing 17, and drawing 11 and at home, they were nearly unbeatable, clinching 24 out of 31 matches while abroad, Kohli led India to 16 victories in 36 Tests, breaking Sourav Ganguly’s record of 11 away wins as these overseas successes showed how Kohli’s strategies and belief in his team turned India into a global Test powerhouse.
As a batsman, Kohli was phenomenal. He scored 5,864 runs in those 68 Tests, more than any other Indian captain and his record included 20 centuries and 18 half-centuries, proving he could lead and perform under pressure. MS Dhoni, with 3,454 runs, and Sunil Gavaskar, with 3,449 runs, trailed far behind. Kohli’s 20 centuries as captain surpassed Gavaskar’s 11, cementing his place as India’s most prolific batting leader and moreover, the way the Indian team was unstoppable during the 2015-2017 home phase tells a lot about how Virat Kohli led this team.
Kohli’s captaincy was about more than numbers. His aggressive style, focus on fitness, and trust in his bowlers changed how India played Tests. He inspired confidence, making the team fearless whether playing at home or in tough foreign conditions. Kohli’s record speaks for itself, but his real legacy is the winning spirit he brought as the team managed to win in Australia in 2018-19 and Virat Kohli became the first Asian Captain to win a Test Series in Australia and besides this, he gave a tough fight to South Africa and England at their home in 2018 but failed to win the series.
In the 2021 Test series against England, Virat Kohli’s Indian team put up a strong fight on English soil. By the end of the fourth Test, India was leading the series 2-1, showing great determination and skill. However, the fifth Test was postponed due to Covid-19 concerns. One of the most memorable moments from the series was Virat Kohli’s passionate leadership. His pep talk at Lord’s became iconic, where he told his team, “For 60 overs, they should feel hell out there”. This fiery attitude inspired the team and still echoes in the hearts of Indian cricket fans.
In February 2020, the Indian team went to New Zealand for a two-match Test series. This tour turned out to be one of the worst performances for India in Test cricket under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. India lost the series 2-0, and Kohli’s poor form with the bat made things worse. It was a tough phase for the team and fans. Even after these struggles, India managed to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship in 2021. The final was played against New Zealand, but India couldn’t win the Test mace, losing the match by 8 wickets.
It was a big disappointment for the team, especially after putting in so much effort over the years. Next, India toured South Africa, where conditions were very challenging. India started well by winning the first Test, and some players, including Virat Kohli, showed a good fight. But the team couldn’t keep up the momentum and lost the three-match series 2-1. This defeat marked a turning point. Virat Kohli had already stepped down as captain in the T20 and ODI formats. And finally, on 15th January 2022, he announced that he was stepping down as Test captain too. It was the end of a legendary chapter in Indian Test cricket.
With the domination in the test format between 2016 and 2019, Virat Kohli faced a low during 2019-2025, marking a challenging phase in his illustrious career. Over these five years, he played 46 matches, scoring 2617 runs at an average of 35.36, a dip from his earlier peaks. His highest score of 254* showcased glimpses of brilliance, but consistency eluded him. Kohli’s strike rate stood at 51.72, with 5 centuries and 11 half-centuries, alongside 296 fours and 11 sixes.
| Matches | Innings | Not Out | Runs | HS | Average | Balls Faced | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Catches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | 210 | 13 | 9230 | 254* | 46.85 | 16608 | 55.57 | 30 | 31 | 1027 | 30 | 121 |
However, his form faltered significantly after relinquishing Test captaincy, with struggles evident in India’s 2024 home whitewash by New Zealand and a 3-1 loss in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where his performances drew scrutiny. Kohli’s overall Test career spanned 123 matches and 210 innings, amassing 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. His 30 centuries and 31 fifties, with a career-high 254*, underlined his batting prowess.
Facing 16608 balls, he maintained a strike rate of 55.57, hitting 1027 fours and 30 sixes while taking 121 catches. Despite these achievements, the latter years were marred by inconsistency, culminating in his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, 2025. The struggles post-captaincy and India’s disappointing series losses signalled the end of an era for one of cricket’s modern greats, whose leadership and batting had once redefined Indian cricket.