Virat Kohli: The captain who changed perception of Test cricket and created legacy beyond numbers

‌Virat Kohli’s Test career will always be talked about, not for the numbers he amassed with the bat but for how he changed the perception of the longest format of the game as captain of the country. At a time when younger cricketers were attracted to the glitz and glamour of the white-ball game, Kohli prioritised the longer format and revolutionised the way the game was played to leave a lasting legacy in the Indian Test cricketing landscape.

Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket after aggregating 9,230 runs, the fourth-highest amongst Indians, while averaging 46.85 with 30 hundreds and 31 fifties. Though the batter from Delhi could not join his much-illustrious countrymen like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar in the 10,000-run club, the impact he created while leading the side, especially away from home, was something that stirred the cricketing world.

As captain, he notched up 40 wins in 68 Tests, the most by any Indian captain and fourth overall, en route to recording the highest win percentage (58.82) for any Indian skipper who has led the nation in at least 10 matches.

The Indian touring sides of the past were never taken seriously, especially by the SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) with Sourav Ganguly bringing some amends during his time as captain after the turn of the century. Ganguly, with his on-the-face attitude and an exceptional batting and spin bowling group to turn to, was able to level Test series in Australia and England and garnered respect from the respective home sides. Meanwhile, Kohli took that a step further, placing utmost trust in India’s pace battery, which was hitherto tagged as underachievers, instilling a sense of belief in each individual that they can win away from home.

He wore his heart on his sleeve and was never afraid to give it back whenever the opponents tried to mess with him or his teammates. He always wanted to win and there was never a dull moment when he was around, be it the Melbourne Test of 2014 or the Lords’ 60 overs of hell during the summer of 2021. As a captain, he was aggressive with his bowling changes and field placements, using the pacers to great advantage, and seldom waiting for things to happen. A look at some interesting numbers on the pace bowling front during his stint as captain and during his predecessor MS Dhoni’s time explains why.

The man who loved speed

Kohli captained India in 24 games that were played in the SENA countries, notching up seven wins with three ending in draws. The number of wins doubled from that of Dhoni’s time who could manage just three wins in 23 matches in these countries. The Delhi batter, who became the first Asian captain to win a series in Australia with India’s 2-1 triumph in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, turned the results around for India in these countries courtesy the performance of his pacers. The numbers would have been even better had the batters also performed at similar levels and contributed to the cause.

Though Kohli had a world-class pace bowling unit at his disposal, with ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah making his Test debut under him and Mohammed Siraj making his bow Down Under in 2020, the way he used them was what made the difference. He was a bowler’s dream, wanting them to go for wickets at all times and backing them with aggressive fields. Picking up 20 wickets became his mantra, which served him well during these matches. The fast bowlers struck every 53.6 deliveries on average during Kohli’s period, while the number was 67.82 during Dhoni’s – a difference of more than 14 balls.

Looking at averages as well, the pacers under Kohli had a wicket every 27.71 runs scored, while it went up to 40.87 at the time of the wicketkeeper-batter’s tenure. Dhoni always had a tendency to be defensive in the longer format and often left it too long for things to happen, which was in stark contrast to his captaincy in ODIs where he always made calls on the go. He often depended on his spinners which was evident from the total percentage of wickets picked up by pacers, which stood at 75.08 against Kohli’s 78.63.

Coming to individual bowlers, Mohammed Shami played 23 and eight overseas Tests under Kohli and Dhoni respectively, while Ishant Sharma had 21 Tests with Dhoni as captain and 15 under Kohli. The fast bowling duo fared well under Kohli with strike rates of 50.08 and 55.84 respectively, while under Dhoni they struck at intervals of 72.85 and 70.96. The averages also tell a similar story, with both players going under 28 with Kohli and going above 42 with Dhoni. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav, who together tallied 10 Tests under both skippers, have fared better under Dhoni, with both pacers having better numbers with the wicketkeeper-batter than with Kohli.

The performance of the fast bowlers was also a result of the fitness culture that developed under the leadership of Kohli. With the Yoyo test also coming into prominence, the Indian side became a fitter and faster unit that could compete with top teams in the world and that resonated in their fielding as well.

Better batter as captain

Kohli’s numbers with the bat as captain are unbelievable and shine bright on his urge to win Test matches. The middle-order batter averages an excellent 54.80 for his tally of 5,864 runs – the most by an Indian captain in Tests – in 68 matches as skipper, with 20 of his 30 centuries coming during this period. He always set an example to lead from the front and incidentally, all his seven double hundreds came when he led the side with the batter average just 37.4 as a player, 17.4 runs in an innings less than what he aggregated as a captain.

Be it his unbelievable effort against Australia in Adelaide in 2014, where he scored a century in each innings to take his side close in his first match as captain, or his hundred in the first Test on his return to England in 2018 against the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad after a forgettable tour in 2014, Kohli’s resilience and fight will always live through generations.

With his retirement, it needs to be seen whether India will be able to find someone who matches his energy, skill and mindset in the longest format of the game. Shubman Gill rightly put things in context with a heartfelt message for his idol on his retirement.

“From watching you bat when I was 13 and wondering how someone could bring that kind of energy to the field - to sharing the field with you and realizing no one else possibly can - you’ve not just inspired a generation, you’ve reshaped the mindset of millions. I know how much Test cricket meant to you, and I hope our generation can carry forward that same fire and commitment.”