Captain or no captain, Virat Kohli is a modern-day legend
Come Friday, March 4th, and Virat Kohli will become the 12th Indian cricketer to play 100 Test matches for India, joining the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, among others to have this distinction.
Kohli made his international debut in August 2008 and has since played 99 Tests, 260 ODIs, and 97 T20Is, along with 207 IPL matches. This is a grand total of 1059 days of international cricket and IPL (discounting a few days of washed out games and Tests ending early).
He averages above 50 in all three formats of international cricket and 37.39 in IPL. The former Indian captain has scored 70 international 100s and 5 IPL centuries in his storied career. Above all else, this is a tribute to his fitness and consistency, as well as the passion and energy he possesses.
As we get ready to witness Virat take the field in a Test for the 100th time in his career, let's look back at his journey and its key moments.
Virat Kohli has a shaky start to his career
Virat Kohli made his Test debut against West Indies in 2011 at Sabina Park. This was just a few months after he had played an important role in India winning the 2011 World Cup.
However, the prodigy returned from the Caribbean with a paltry 76 runs in three Test matches. He was troubled by the short pitched stuff from the Windies seamers, especially Fidel Edwards. Subsequently, he was dropped for the England tour that came next.
Virat makes a strong comeback
A few months later, Kohli again got a chance to play in the longest format. It happened in the third Test of the home series against the same team - West Indies. But this time, he ended up scoring half-centuries in both innings.
In the subsequent series in Australia, Kohli scored a breathtaking 116 in Adelaide, against the rampant Australians and was the lone bright spot in India’s 0-4 debacle.
From there on, till the tour of England in 2014, Kohli had all but stamped his authority across all formats and in most countries, including South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
However, Anderson and England shrouded all his past glory as he managed only 134 runs in 10 innings of that 5-match Test series. The dashing right-hander was able to turn the tables four years later when he scored 593 runs in 10 innings of India's next series in England, with 2 centuries and 3 half centuries to his credit.
Kohli ascends to captaincy
On the 2014/15 tour of Australia, Kohli was made the captain for the first Test in Adelaide, in the absence of MS Dhoni. He made it special by scoring tons in both innings of that game. The Delhi-based cricketer was made full-time captain after Dhoni stepped down and retired following the third Test of that series.
What followed was a golden era for India in Test cricket. By the time Kohli gave up the Test captaincy in early 2022, he had led India to victory in 40 matches with a win rate of 58.8%, behind only Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh.
The 33-year old is, by far, the most successful Indian Test captain, with the next-best being MS Dhoni at 27 wins. During his stint as India’s captain, which lasted for around seven years - 2015 to 2022 - his team ended a calendar year as the No. 1 ranked side for five consecutive years (2017-21).
Still, the greatest legacy of Kohli as India's Test captain will be the fast-bowling prowess he has helped his team develop. Also important is the tenacity and the culture of not just competing but going for a win in away Tests.
On March 4, Mohali will be hosting Virat Kohli's landmark 100th Test. Crowd or no crowd, century or no century, captain or no captain, it is time we bow down to the legacy and the contribution of this modern-day legend of Indian cricket.
tion of this modern-day legend of Indian cricket.
tion of this modern-day legend of Indian cricket.