Happy Birthday Virat Kohli: Man Who Transformed India's Test Team

Virat Kohli succeeded MS Dhoni as India's full-time Test captain in 2015. In an interview with ESPN Cricket Mon that year, he had said 'I strongly want to see the Indian team dominate for at least five or six years.'

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Virat Kohli's first assignment as Test captain was the three-Test tour of Sri Lanka. India won it 2-1 as they won the first series on Sri Lankan soil since 1993.

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Virat Kohli is also the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia. They accomplished the feat in 2018-19 as the Aussies struggled to combat a rampaging tourists.

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Under Kohli, India remained the No.1 Test team for five consecutive years (2017-2021) and won the Test mace for the 7th time in May 2021. According to a statistic as per May 2021, Team India had won 35 Tests, the most by any team since May 2016.

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Under Virat Kohli, India secured one of the famous overseas Test victories at Lord's against England in 2018. After England's hostile short-pitched bowling, India also gave them a tough time to clinch a come-from-behind victory,

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Virat Kohli is also the only Asian captain so far to win Tests in England, South Africa, and Australia. He achieved it in 2018.

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As captain, Virat Kohli also led with the bat on numerous occasions. In 68 Tests, the right-hander averaged 54.80 with 20 centuries alongside a best of 254*

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Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian captain in Test cricket. He enjoyed 40 wins in 68 matches and never endured a series loss on home soil. Kohli also lost only 2 home Tests in 6 years as captain.

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Virat Kohli stepped down as the Test captain in January 2021 following the series loss in South Africa. He took to social media and posted an emotional statement to announce the news.

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The only blot on Virat Kohli's Test captaincy could be his failure to win the WTC and a Test series in South Africa. India entered as firm favourites in the 2021 WTC final against New Zealand, but the Kiwis emerged victorious.

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