Virat Kohli’s Test cricket legacy is defined by remarkable achievements, including being India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins, scoring seven double centuries, and a career-high ICC rating of 937. His historic 2018 performance, leading India to Australia’s first-ever Test series win, solidified his place in cricket history.
1. Most successful Indian test captain (40 wins)
Virat Kohli became the captain of the Indian Test cricket team in December 2014 after MS Dhoni’s retirement from the format. Kohli led the team until January 2022, overseeing a total of 68 Test matches. During his tenure, India won 40 matches, lost 17, and drew 11, making Kohli the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history. MS Dhoni follows with 27 wins in 60 matches, while Sourav Ganguly secured 21 wins in 49 matches.
2. First Indian captain to win a test series on Australian soil
Virat Kohli’s most significant achievement as India’s Test captain came in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he led India to a historic 2-1 victory in Australia, marking the nation’s first-ever Test series win Down Under. India won the first and third Tests in Adelaide and Melbourne by 31 runs and 137 runs, respectively. Australia claimed victory in the second Test by 146 runs in Perth. The final Test in Sydney ended in a draw, and Kohli’s leadership secured a landmark victory for India in Australia.
3. Most double hundreds by an Indian batter (7)
Virat Kohli has scored 31 centuries in Test cricket from 210 innings, including seven double centuries, the most by any Indian batter. The next in line are Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, each with six double tons. Kohli’s highest Test score is an unbeaten 254, made against South Africa in October 2019. Additionally, he has scored six other double centuries: 204 against Bangladesh, 235 against England, 211 against New Zealand, 200 against the West Indies, and 213 & 243 against Sri Lanka.
4. Most double hundreds by a captain (7)
Virat Kohli made history by scoring all seven of his double centuries in Test cricket while serving as India’s captain. This achievement makes him the record-holder for the most double centuries by a captain in the longest format, with seven. The next in line are Brian Lara (5), Don Bradman (4), Michael Clarke (4), and Graeme Smith (4).
Kohli’s seven double centuries came between July 2016 and October 2019, during his captaincy from December 2014 to January 2022. This rare accomplishment will stand as a significant milestone in Test cricket history for years to come.
5. Highest rating points earned by an Indian in ICC batting rankings: 937 (2018)
In 2018, Virat Kohli reached his peak in Test cricket, accumulating 1,322 runs from 24 innings at an impressive average of 55.08. He scored five centuries and five half-centuries that year, displaying exceptional form.
The next highest-rated Indian batter is Sunil Gavaskar, who reached 916 rating points in 1979. Only 11 players in history have surpassed the 937-point mark in ICC’s Test rankings, with Don Bradman holding the record at 961 points.
