In 2012, Virat Kohli looked at the mirror and surrounded himself, “If you want to become a professional cricketer then you can’t see this way”.
For someone who has passion for fitness, almost passion, is well documented, this match of self-daya is almost unimaginable.
“My training was terrible, I ate very bad, I was long, I was a drink or two regular. It was a terrible mindset. The weather was over and I was very grateful that it was over.” Then Epifeni came, in front of an incompetent mirror.
But then, Virat Kohli was forged with his flaws, which continues because he leaves it in Test cricket.
Kohli abolished two of the 125 tests (which would have seen him equal to the great Sunil Gavaskar in terms of the number of matches played), the tests required only 770 runs to reach a 10,000 -run milestone (which would become the fourth Indian after Gavaskar, Sachin Tendalkar and Rahul Drew, and the five more tons will leave them, and the five more tons will leave them. “It’s not easy-but it seems right.”
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For Kohli, Test cricket was the ultimate glory. “It was always a goal. This is the highest level. The cheap that encouraged me about Test cricket was a challenge,” he said. And Kohli got up for the challenge. He was for great things, was always accepted, but it never came easy.
For example, his first test in Kingston, Jamaica in 2011. In both innings, he was rejected by Fidel Edwards of West Indies for 4 and 15 respectively. A worried Kohli will tell reporters, “Lekin Main Chhorunga Nahin (I will not give up) “. He never did it.
The vengeance came after months, against the same opponents. Kohli hit a twin half -century at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Two months after that, Kohli went to a brave 75 to slam a brave 75 in Perth and then obtained his first test centenary against Australia in Adelaide. He was contrary to any other test, which was seen by India earlier. Unlike Gavaskar, Tendulkar or Dravid, Kohli was ‘in your face’, never hesitates to raise the Australians in his own backyard and then earn his respect.
Virat Kohli was fixed for big things from the time when he led India to win India in the 2008 U19 World Cup in Malaysia. Image Credit: AFP
First big, and then an unprecedented high
This was followed by South Africa and solid shows at home, before the first big lower point of their test career. In the summer of 2014, Kohli struggled against James Anderson’s seam and swing and could only score 134 runs in five tests. His technology and poor footwork will be questioned against the ball running outside the off-stump. Something that will bother him for the rest of his career.
That mark on one side, in the next five years, Kohli reached the peak of his powers. From his start in June 2011 to September 2014, he scored 1,855 runs in 51 innings at an average of 39.46. From October 2014 to December 2019, he scored 5,347 runs 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 200 against the West Indies in the North Sound. India defeated the series 4–0.
Then in 2018, India visited England. Everyone’s eyes were on Kohli, and he did not disappoint. He climbed the rest with 593 runs (two 100s, three 50s 59.30) in five tests.
In fact, from April 2016 to March 2019, Kohli was statistically the best test batsman in the world. During this time no one scored more than them-59 innings with a 14 100-plus score at an average of 3,619 65.80. His average and run tally modern -day was better than the other three of ‘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 just beyond his batting. He inspired the team to follow his harsh fitness rule. One of his major goals, about which he was absolutely vocal, was attacking a motion that could take 20 wickets in a match. Under them, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Sirj, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and even Bhubaneswar Kumar were rich.
A state of the cricket website Espncricinfo shows how fast bowlers under Kohli flourish. When Kohli was the captain, the Indian pacers took 591 wickets at an average of 26.00 and strike rate 51.84. The cricket website said, “The strike rate of pacers under Kohli of 51.39 rank of 51.39 rank is second after the 80s Viv Richards’s speed attack of Viv Richards,” said.
Under Kohli, India won their first Test series in Australia.
Kohli led India in 68 tests – most by any Indian. Team India won 40 matches and drowned 11 under Kohli. The winning percentage of 58.82 makes him the most successful test captain in India’s history. Between 2015 and 2017, Kohli inspired India to win a nine straight Test series, equivalent to Ricky Ponting.
He is the only captain who has scored seven double centuries in Tests. Kohli has a record for the highest score in tests by an Indian captain – 254* vs South Africa (2019) and also the most tons as an Indian captain – 20. With 5,864 runs in an average 68 tests of 54.80, Kohli has more runs than any other player.
Final stage
That golden phase started in 2020. Earlier that year, Kohli scored 2,000 runs in 39 tests, on average 30.72. In his last 10 tests, Kohli scored just 382 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.47 (2024–25 scored out of those 100 in the same innings in Perth in the Border Gavaskar Trophy).
Was gathering – was it time to look beyond Kohli? In Australia’s recent tour, in five trials, Kohli scored just 190 runs in five tests at an average of 23.75. It was suspected whether he and Rohit Sharma, who had an equally poor border Gavaskar Trophy run, would play in England tour.
Now when both have gone, the transition is almost completed under the new coach Gautam Gambhir. The next World Test Championship cycle (2025-27) will have a new look Indian team.
There will be a “Virat” Act to follow it.
