Virat Kohli's Test Odyssey: Started And Ended On His Own Terms

In 2012, Virat Kohli looked in the mirror and berated himself, “You can't look like this if you want to be a professional cricketer”.

For someone whose passion for fitness, almost bordering on obsession, is well-documented, this bout of self-pity is almost unthinkable.

"My training was horrible, I ate so bad, I was up until late, I was having a drink or two regularly. It was a horrible mindset. The season ended and I was so thankful it was over.” Then came the epiphany, in front of an unforgiving mirror.

But then, Virat Kohli was forged by his flaws, which continues as he calls it quits in Test cricket. 

Kohli finished two short of 125 Tests (that would have seen him equal the great Sunil Gavaskar in terms of number of matches played), needed only 770 runs to reach the 10,000-run milestone in Tests (which would see him become the fourth Indian after Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid to achieve the elusive feat), and five more tons would have made him the eighth in the world to reach 35 Test centuries. But, as he said in his good-bye message, "it's not easy — but it feels right."

For Kohli, Test cricket was the ultimate glory. "That was always the goal. This is the highest level. The thing that excited me about Test cricket was the challenge," he had said. And Kohli rose to the challenge. That he was meant for great things was always accepted, but it never came easy. 

His first Test in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2011, for example. In both the innings he was dismissed by West Indies' Fidel Edwards for 4 and 15 respectively. An anxious Kohli would tell reporters, "Lekin main chhorunga nahin (I will not give up)". He never did. 

Retribution came months later, against the same opponents. Kohli struck twin half-centuries at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Two months after that, Kohli went on to slam a brave 75 at a bouncy WACA in Perth and then got his maiden Test century in Adelaide against Australia. He was unlike any other Test great that India had seen before. Unlike Gavaskar, Tendulkar or Dravid, Kohli was 'in your face', never shying away from riling up the Aussies even in their own backyard and then earning their respect.

Virat Kohli was destined for great things from the time he led India to triumph at the 2008 U19 World Cup in Malaysia. Image credit: AFP  

First Big Low, And Then An Unprecedented High

That was followed by solid shows in South Africa and at home, before the first big low point of his Test career.  In the summer of 2014, Kohli struggled against the seam and swing of James Anderson and could score only 134 runs in five Tests. His technique and poor footwork against the moving ball outside off-stump would be questioned. Something that would go on to haunt him for the rest of his career. 

That scar aside, over the next five years, Kohli reached the peak of his powers. From his debut in June 2011 to September 2014, he scored 1,855 in 51 innings at an average of 39.46. From October 2014 to December 2019, he scored 5,347 in 90 innings at an average of 63.65. The difference is clear.

During India's tour of Australia in 2014-15, Kohli scored 692 runs at 86.50 with four centuries and one fifty. By the end of the tour, Kohli was India's full-time Test captain. In 2016, Kohli scored the first of his seven double tons (most by an Indian) with a 200 against West Indies in North Sound. India clinched the series 4-0.

Then came India's Tour of England in 2018. All eyes were on Kohli, and he did not disappoint. With 593 runs in five Tests (two 100s, three 50s at 59.30) he towered over the rest. 

In fact, from April 2016 to March 2019, Kohli was statistically the best Test batter in the world. No one scored more than him during this time – 3,619 in 59 innings at an average of 65.80, with 14 100-plus scores. His average and run tally were far better than the other three of the modern-day 'Fab four' - Joe Root of England, Steve Smith of Australia and Kane Williamson of New Zealand.

Captain Courageous 

Kohli's contribution to Indian Test cricket was beyond just his batting. He inspired the team to follow his rigorous fitness regime. One of his prime goals, which he was absolutely vocal about, was creating a pace attack that could take 20 wickets in a match. Under him, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and even Bhuvneshwar Kumar prospered.       

A stat by cricket website ESPNCricinfo shows how the fast bowlers thrived under Kohli. When Kohli was the captain, Indian pacers took 591 wickets at an average of 26.00 and strike rate of 51.84. "Among those who led in 50 or more Tests, the pacers' strike rate under Kohli of 51.39 ranks second only to Viv Richards' pace attack of the 80s," the cricket website said.

Under Kohli, India won its first-ever Test series in Australia. 

Kohli led India in 68 Tests - most by any Indian. Team India won 40 matches and drew 11 under Kohli. A win percentage of 58.82 makes him the most successful Test captain in India's history.  Between 2015 and 2017, Kohli led India to nine straight Test series victories, equalling Ricky Ponting.

He is the only captain to have scored seven double centuries in Test matches. Kohli holds the record for the highest score by an Indian captain in Tests - 254* vs South Africa (2019) and also has most tons as an Indian captain - 20. With 5,864 runs in 68 Tests at an average of 54.80, Kohli has more runs as India captain than any other player. 

The final phase

That golden phase started to wane in 2020. Early that year, Kohli scored 2,000 in 39 Tests at an average of 30.72. In his last 10 Tests, Kohli had just 382 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.47 (out of those 100 scored in a single innings in Perth in the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy).

There were murmurs - was it time to look beyond Kohli? In five Tests in the recent Tour of Australia, Kohli scored just 190 in five Tests at an average of 23.75. There were doubts on whether he and Rohit Sharma, who had an equally bad Border Gavaskar trophy run, would play in the England Tour. 

Now that both are gone, the transition is almost complete under new coach Gautam Gambhir. The next World Test Championship cycle (2025-27) will feature a new look Indian team.

It will have a “Virat” act to follow.