By Priyanka Roshan | May 14, 2025
Legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli has retired from red-ball cricket, marking the end of an era that redefined the nation’s Test legacy. As India’s most successful Test captain, he accumulated 9,230 runs across 123 matches.
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Debuting in 2011 as a fiery youngster, he evolved into the face of India’s aggressive, fitness-first approach. Under his captaincy, India became a force at home and abroad, chasing victories with unmatched intensity.
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More than records, Kohli inspired belief and set new standards of excellence. His legacy lives on in the mindset he brought to Indian Test cricket. Here are the key milestones from his stellar journey.
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Kohli captained India in 68 Tests, more than any other Indian skipper, and led the team to 40 wins. His winning percentage of 58.82% is the highest for an Indian Test captain.
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In 2018–19, Kohli scripted history by leading India to its first-ever Test series win on Australian soil. The 2-1 triumph remains one of his greatest achievements as a captain.
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Under his leadership, India ruled the ICC Test Team Rankings for five straight years (2016–2021) and made it to the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021.
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Kohli holds the world record for the most double centuries by a captain in Tests—seven in total. His career-best of 254* came against South Africa in Pune in 2019.
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Under Kohli’s captaincy, India remained unbeaten in home Test series and won 10 out of the 11 he led. His teams were near-invincible on Indian soil.
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Between 2015 and 2017, Kohli led India to nine consecutive Test series victories, matching the record held by legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
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Kohli scored 5,864 runs as captain in 68 Tests at an impressive average of 54.80, the most by any Indian captain in Test cricket.
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With 30 centuries, Kohli ranks fourth among Indian batters—behind only Tendulkar, Dravid, and Gavaskar—and 16th on the global list of most Test hundreds.
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