Virat Kohli’s Ups and Downs in Test Cricket: Revisiting Key Moments

Mumbai: For someone who arrived in the Test arena with unabashed youthful exuberance and aggression, Virat Kohli went on to herald a remarkable phase in red-ball cricket, not just for India but for the format itself.

In 68 Tests, India under Kohli won 40, lost 17, and drew 11—numbers that emphasize Kohli's team was characteristically different from those of the past.

Kohli kept Test cricket at the pinnacle of his career and never shied away from getting into the grind. Here's a look at his key moments:

Test Debut

Shortly after the high of winning his first ODI World Cup, Kohli made his Test debut on June 20 with India cap No. 269 on the tour of the West Indies but returned with 76 runs across three Tests.

Skirmish with Fans in Sydney

Not part of India's horrendous England tour in mid-2011, Kohli found himself thrown into deep water in Australia amid a faltering batting lineup.

“Indians weren't interested in Test cricket,” remarked Greg Chappell as India were trounced 0-4. Under the pressure of being in a losing side and unfamiliar with the unruly Australian crowd's heckling, Kohli responded with a rude gesture. He was fined 50 per cent of the match fee.

Maiden Test Ton in Australia

As the golden era of India's Test batting ended, Kohli threw his hat in the ring to become a future flag bearer with his maiden ton at Adelaide in January 2012.

Bright Signs in the Rainbow Nation

Though India lost the two-Test series 0-1 to South Africa in 2013, Kohli's scores of 119 and 96 at Johannesburg were signs of him taking charge.

A Big Low in England

With 134 runs in five Tests in England in 2014, Kohli failed miserably against seam and swing, with James Anderson at his pomp. It was a huge setback for the young batter who had established his supremacy in the ODI format and was being perceived as the next Indian batting star.

The Highs of Australia

India's tour of Australia in 2014-15 witnessed a far more disciplined and determined Kohli, who gave the opponents a hard time. He began with scores of 115 and 141 at Adelaide, and by the end of the tour, he had amassed 692 runs at an average of 86.50, with four centuries and two fifties.

Love Affair with Adelaide

His twin tons in Adelaide showcased his special bond with the venue. As the tour progressed, Kohli had run-ins with Australian players, including Mitchell Johnson.

“I'm not there to take some unnecessary words or chats from someone. I'm going there to play cricket, back myself. There's no good reason that I should respect unnecessarily some people when they are not respecting me,” he had said.

By the end of the tour, Kohli was India's full-time Test captain.

Taking Over

The start was shaky as Sri Lanka beat India by 63 runs in the first Test, but India struck back hard, defeating Sri Lanka by 278 runs in Colombo and winning the three-Test series.

Making England Pay

Yet to prove himself in England as a batter—a challenge which Kohli, by his own admission, did not rate very highly—he scored the first of his six double centuries by amassing 235 in Mumbai against England as India crushed them 4-0.

Run-in with Steve Smith's Australia

It began with Kohli shouldering arms to Steve O'Keefe, getting bowled, and India suffering a 333-run hammering in Pune.

India won the series 3-1, but it was also one to forget for Kohli the batter, as he scored only 46 runs in the three Tests he played.

The fiery affairs included Kohli's claim that he had lost friendship with Australian players. He also complained to on-field umpires when Australian batters looked to the dressing room while deciding to take DRS.

Sri Lanka Pay Again
Kohli's peak batting prowess in 2016-17 saw him flaying Sri Lanka with consecutive double tons of 213 and 243 at Kolkata and Nagpur, respectively.

Mastering England in 2018
With all eyes on Kohli, he towered above the rest with 593 runs in five Tests (two centuries, three fifties at an average of 59.30) during the England tour, starting with a splendid 149 at Birmingham.

Highest Test Score

South Africa bore the brunt when Kohli hit an unbeaten 254 for his highest Test score in Pune in 2019.

Rewriting History in 2018-19
Aggression personified, Kohli's India stunned the much-fancied Australian side and became the first team from Asia to win a Test series Down Under in nearly seven decades.

Scripting a Special Win at Lord's
One of Kohli's most famous wins as captain was at Lord's in 2021 when he rallied his troops to bundle England out for a mere 120 inside two sessions, as India recorded a massive 151-run win.

Talking to the Stump Mic in Cape Town in 2022

Furious after a leg-before appeal was turned down against South Africa's Dean Elgar, Kohli walked up to the stump mic and said, “Focus on your team as well when they shine the ball.”