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Kohli: Face Of Test Cricket Who Dominated The Format At His Peak
Follow UsWe look back on a truly iconic Test career that came to an end today
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test Cricket earlier today, bringing an end to an era in which the 36-year-old was the undisputed face of the format.
The Indian Cricket icon, during his 14-year-long Test career, achieved many milestones and created a plethora of records both as a player and captain. These records underscore why Kohli is truly one of the greatest ever players to have graced the longest format of the game.
Here is a complete look-back on Kohli's Test career, albeit in the form of numbers.
ONE OF THE BEST EVER TO DON THE WHITES
Most runs for India in Tests
15921 – Sachin Tendulkar
13265 – Rahul Dravid
10122 – Sunil Gavaskar
9230 – Virat Kohli
8781 – VVS Laxman
Most centuries for India in Tests
51 – Sachin Tendulkar
36 – Rahul Dravid
34 – Sunil Gavaskar
30 – Virat Kohli
Most double hundreds for India in Tests
7 - Virat Kohli
6 - Virender Sehwag
6 - Sachin Tendulkar
5 - Rahul Dravid
Most double hundreds for India in a calendar year in Tests
3 – Virat Kohli, 2016
3 – Virat Kohli, 2017
2 – Rahul Dravid, 2003
2 – Sachin Tendulkar, 2004
2 – Virender Sehwag, 2008
LOVED SCORING AGAINST AUSTRALIA
Most centuries against an opponent for India in Tests
13 – Sunil Gavaskar vs WI
11 – Sachin Tendulkar vs AUS
9 – Virat Kohli vs AUS
9 – Sachin Tendulkar vs SL
8 – Sunil Gavaskar vs AUS
Most centuries in Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Tests
10 – Steve Smith
9 – Virat Kohli
9 – Sachin Tendulkar
8 – Ricky Ponting
7 – Michael Clarke
THE GREATEST EVER INDIAN TEST CAPTAIN
Most wins for an Indian captain in Tests
40 – Virat Kohli
27 – MS Dhoni
21 – Sourav Ganguly
14 – Mohammed Azharuddin
12 – Rohit Sharma
Most wins for a captain in Tests
53 – Graeme Smith
48 – Ricky Ponting
41 – Steve Waugh
40 – Virat Kohli
36 – Clive Lloyd
Highest win% for a captain in Tests
71.9% - Steve Waugh (57 Tests)
62.3% - Ricky Ponting (77 Tests)
58.8% - Virat Kohli (68 Tests)
54.0% - Vivian Richards (50 Tests)
52.0% - Mark Taylor (50 Tests)
*Min 50 Tests
Highest win% for a captain at home in Tests
77.4% - Virat Kohli in India
75.9% - Steve Waugh in Australia
74.4% - Ricky Ponting in Australia
72.7% - Kane Williamson in New Zealand
70.0% - MS Dhoni in India
*Min 20 matches
LED FROM THE FRONT AS CAPTAIN
Players to hit centuries in both innings on captaincy debut in Tests
123 & 109* - Greg Chappell vs West Indies, Brisbane, 1975
115 & 141 – Virat Kohli vs Australia, Adelaide, 2014
Most runs for a captain in Tests
8659 – Graeme Smith
6623 – Allan Border
6542 – Ricky Ponting
5864 – Virat Kohli
5295 – Joe Root
Most centuries for a captain in Tests
25 – Graeme Smith
20 – Virat Kohli
19 – Ricky Ponting
17 – Steve Smith
Other notable records of Virat Kohli in Tests
- Best 50s to 100s conversion rate for an Indian batter in Tests (min 25 centuries)
- Only Indian batter to average 75+ in multiple calendar years having scored 1,000 + runs (2016 & 2017)
- First Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19)
- India won the ICC Test Championship Mace after 6 years in 2016
- Most wins for an Indian Test Captain in a calendar year (9 wins in 2016)
- Most wins for an Indian Test Captain in England (3 - Nottingham, 2018 | Lord's, 2021 | The Oval, 2021)