Virat Kohli's Test retirement: Revisiting 10 innings that defined his greatness in the format

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Virat Kohli's greatness in Tests

Ahead of the Test tour of England, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the longest format of the game after playing for 14 years. Kohli had already informed the BCCI about his willingness to retire from the format before making an official announcement on his Instagram handle.

Virat Kohli made his Test debut for India against West Indies in 2011 and went on to establish himself as one of the greatest batters for India in the longest format of the game. Kohli is the fourth leading run-getter for India in red-ball cricket, amassing 9230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, at an average of 46.85 in 123 matches. He also led Team India from 2014 to 2022, winning 40 matches out of 68 outings, making the most successful Indian Test captain.

On that note, let’s take a look at top 10 innings that defined greatness of Virat Kohli

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1. 116 vs Australia (Adelaide, 2012)

Virat Kohli announced his arrival in Test cricket with a brilliant century against Australia in Sydney in 2012. After Australia declared their first innings at 604/7, India were struggling under pressure as they were reduced to 87/4 in 33.5 overs. Kohli stepped up for the side and scored a resilient 116 off 213 balls, maiden century in his Test career, to help India post a respectable first innings of 272. However, India eventually lost the match by 298 runs, but Virat Kohli's gritty century showcased his ability to thrive under pressure, marking the beginning of his Test career.

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2. 119 and 96 vs South Africa (Johannesburg, 2013)

One of the best Test performances by Virat Kohli came in the first Test of the two-match series against South Africa in Johannesburg. In the first innings, Kohli emerged as the lone warrior as he played a valiant knock of 119 off 181 balls to guide India to a respectable total of 280 in 103 overs. In the second innings, the ace Indian batter played another gritty innings of 96 off 193 balls while forming a 222-run stand for the third wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara (153) to help set South Africa a challenging target of 458. Eventually, the match ended in a thrilling draw, but Kohli’s masterful performance solidified his place in the Indian Test team.

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3. 169 vs Australia (Melbourne, 2014)

In the third Test of the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli produced a scintillating performance with the bat, scoring 169 off 272 balls and formed a 262-run stand with Ajinkya Rahana (147) to help Team India post a total 465 in the first innings. In the second innings, Kohli scored 54 off 99 balls displaying composure and consistency, as India pushed for a result, but ended in draw. His twin knocks against strong Australian pace bowling attack indicated his growing stature as India’s batting mainstay in Test cricket.

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4. 200 vs West Indies (North Sound, 2016)

Virat Kohli registered his first double century of his International career, scoring a brilliant 200 off 375 balls in the first innings of the first Test against West Indies at North Sound in 2016. Along with his maiden Test double century, Kohli formed a crucial 168-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (113) to help India post a formidable total of 566/8 in the first innings. Kohli’s incredible performance with the bat and the partnership with Ashwin laid a foundation for an innings and 92-run win over West Indies.

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5. 235 vs England (Wankhede, 2016)

One of the most memorable performances by Virat Kohli in his illustrious Test career came in the fourth Test of the five-match series against England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In the first innings, Virat Kohli played a brilliant knock of 235 off 340 balls, anchoring Team India to a massive total of 631. His knock and a crucial 241-run stand for the 8th wicket with Jayant Yadav (104) powered India to a 36-run win over England. This was then Kohli’s highest score and one of the defining moments in his captaincy era.

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6. 243 vs Sri Lanka (Delhi, 2017)

Virat Kohli played a marathon knock of 243 off 287 balls in the third Test against Sri Lanka in front of his home ground at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. His incredible innings helped Team India to declare the first innings at 536/7. His performance with the bat demonstrated supreme concentration and hunger for big scores, but the match ended in a draw. Virat Kohli’s double century further established as one of the most prolific and dominant batsmen in the longest format of the game.

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7. 153 vs South Africa (Centurion, 2018)

Virat Kohli emerged as the lone warrior for Team India on a dangerous pitch at Centurion as he scored a fighting 153 off 217 balls to keep India in the contest after a top-order collapse and guided them to a total of 307 in the first innings. However, his effort went in vain as India lost the match by 135 runs, but Kohli’s phenomenal knock stood out as a masterclass in technique and determination against a world-class South African pace attack on a tough batting surface. This was one of the finest performances that defined his greatness in Test cricket.

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8. 149 vs England (Birmingham, 2018)

In the first innings of the first Test against England showed why Virat Kohli was regarded as one of the best in the world, as he anchored India’s innings as a lone warrior with a majestic knock of 149 off 225 to help India post a 274 on a seaming track in England. However, Kohli’s valiant effort went in vain as India lost the match by 31 runs after being bundled for 162 while chasing 194-run target set by England. Kohli’s performance on England soil became a turning point in his career, silencing critics who had questioned his ability to succeed in English conditions.

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9. 254 vs South Africa (Pune, 2019)

Virat Kohli registered his highest individual Test score of 254 off 336 balls in the 2nd Test against South Africa in Pune. His incredible knock, along with partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja guided Team India to a formidable total of 601/5 in the first innings. This laid the foundation for an innings and 137-run win over South Africa. This was the seventh and last double century of his Test career. He overtook Sehwag’s Indian record of six double centuries, making him the Indian batter with the most double hundreds in Test cricket history.

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10. 186 vs Australia (Ahmedabad, 2023)

Virat Kohli finally put an end to his long Test century with an incredible performance in the fourth Test against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kohli played an incredible knock of 186 off 364 balls to guide India to the first innings of 571. However, the match ended in a draw as the match went into fifth day, but Kohli's resolute knock silencing any doubts about his form and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest Test batsmen of his generation.