4 times India responded brilliantly after going down in a Test series under Kohli
Indian Test team under Kohli seems to play their best when their backs are against the wall. Kohli is an aggressive and passionate captain and plays a vital role in motivating the team and springs up surprises for the opposition when India are perceived to be down and out.
Let us have look at five instances when India made a comeback under Kohli in a Test series.
India vs Sri Lanka, Colombo 2015
This was the first series for Virat Kohli as a full-time captain. Indians lost the first Test at Galle. They were required to chase down a target of 176 to win in their fourth innings, but they could only manage 112. The guile and spin of Lankan spinners brought the downfall of the Indian batsmen on a crumbling track. Herath accounted for seven dismissals in the second innings.
Going into Colombo, India needed to improve their game by several notches to tame the Lankan lions. Kohli won the toss and chose to bat first and buoyed by KL Rahul's magnificent 108, India finished on 393 in their first innings.
Indian spinners bowled in tandem with the pacers to restrict the Lankans to 303 in their first innings. Indian batsmen continued their superlative form in the second innings as India declared for 325/8, therefore, setting a target of 431 for the Lankans to chase in the fourth innings.
Indian spin twins (Ashwin and Mishra) were on fire on a pitch aiding spin bowling and Lankans were bowled out for 134. India won the game by 278 runs hence making a comeback in the Test series. They also went out to win the third Test and registering their first series win under Kohli.