Virat Kohli, the run machine, debuted for India in whites in July 2011 against the Caribbean side, and since then, his test journey has been nothing short of a miracle. He will don the Indian whites for the 100th time in his career on 5th March at Mohali against Sri Lanka.
Ups and Downs of Virat Kohli’s Epic Test Journey so Far:
The Adelaide Miracle:
In his 8th test match, Virat Kohli was under immense pressure to demonstrate his batting expertise to save his test career from drowning. He played a superb knock of 116 in the first innings of the test match and announced his arrival in style at cricket’s grandest stage. After that, he had impressive overseas outings against South Africa and New Zealand, scoring one hundred each on both tours.
Also, Read- Here’s 5 Best Innings Of Virat Kohli You Can Never Forget
A Tour to Forget:
India’s tour to England in 2014 exposed Kohli’s woes against the swinging Duke ball. He became Jimmy Anderson’s bunny throughout the English summer and only managed 134 runs in the ten test innings that he played in the series. The critics heavily slammed his batting technique against the swinging duke ball.
Silencing the Critics:
After his dismal batting display in the last tour, Virat Kohli was appointed as skipper against the Australian side at Adelaide due to an ankle injury suffered by MS Dhoni. Virat Kohli answered the critics in style by letting his bat talk. He smashed a hundred in both the innings and his 141 in the fourth innings while chasing Australia’s mammoth total of 363 is regarded as one of the masterclasses in modern-day test cricket.
Rise of a Fiery Leader:
Dhoni announced his retirement after the third test match on Australia’s tour in 2014/15, and Virat Kohli became the full-time skipper of the Indian side. His highly enticing test journey is filled with on and off-field aggression, verbal altercations, and controversies. Legends like Shane Warne and Shoaib Akhtar recognize him as the world’s brand ambassador of test cricket.
Virat Kohli’s Successful Stint as Test Captain:
Kohli won 40 out of 60 matches as Captain for India, the most by any Indian skipper during their captaincy period. Virat’s win percentage of almost 59 in test cricket as captain ranks only behind the legendary Australian captains, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Shocking Captaincy Resignation:
Virat Kohli sent the cricketing community into a frenzy when he suddenly announced on 22nd January 2022 that he was voluntarily stepping down as the test captain of the Indian side. The Indian media widely reported that Kohli was probably sacked as ODI captain by the BCCI to avoid two captains in the white-ball format. However, this decision did not go well with Virat Kohli, and he blasted the BCCI in a press conference and relinquished his test captaincy.
The Aftermath of Resignation:
Virat Kohli has left behind a magnificent legacy as a captain in his test journey so far. His 100th test match as a player will be his first one without the responsibilities of a captain after almost eight years. Fans all around the globe are eagerly waiting for his 71st International century and are praying that he accomplishes this milestone in his historic 100th test match for the Indian team.