KING KOHLI SCRIPTS HISTORY

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad [February 9-13, 2017].

In February 2017, the Bangladeshi cricket team traveled to India to play one Test match. Surprisingly, this was the Bangladesh Cricket Team's first test tour of India. Initially the tour was planned for August 2016, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stated that the first week of February appeared more feasible due to previous commitments made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Interestingly, Mushfiqur Rahim, the captain of Bangladesh, downplayed the historic significance of the tour by stating that we want to play in a way that will make India want to welcome us again and again. He said, "This to me is just another Test match." The visitors as well as the hosts will, however, remember this test match for a very long time thanks to Virat Kohli and company. 

Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to go first. The pitch looked perfect for batting, and everyone was up for some brilliant batting masterclass. However, Taskin Ahmed picked up a wicket in the first over itself as the Indian scorecard read 2/1. The Visitors were off to a great start. But their happiness did not last long, as they faced the brute of the mighty Indian batting lineup. Murali Vijay and Wriddhiman scored gritty centuries, whereas Pujara, Rahane, and Jadeja also made valuable contributions from the bat.

However, the performance that stood at the top was another King Kohli masterclass. Captain Kohli scored yet another double hundred as Indians declared at a massive total of 687/6. In an innings that lasted for around 5 hours, Kohli hit a total of 24 boundaries to reach his 200. Interestingly, when he was batting on 199, he took the aerial route to get to his double hundred. It was truly a magnificent innings from the Indian captain. 

Moreover, India set a number of individual and team records during the Test match. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara both set personal batting records during the first innings. With 1,605 runs, Pujara surpassed the record for most runs by a batsman in an Indian first-class season. Chandu Borde established the previous record in the 1964–65 season with 1,604 runs. With 1,168 test runs in a home season, Kohli broke the previous record. The previous record was held by Virender Sehwag, who scored 1,105 runs during the 2004–05 season. In addition, Kohli became the first player to score a double century in four straight Test Series. The previous record, shared by Rahul Dravid and Don Bradman, was three straight series.

Furthermore, India's declared first innings total of 687 was the first time a side in Test cricket had scored 600 or more in three straight innings. The Bangladeshis were nowhere close to their Indian counterparts as they bundled out in no time. Thus, handing Indians one more massive victory. This time of 208 runs. Moreover, this victory marked India's sixth consecutive test series win. It all started in September 2015 with a series win against Sri Lanka and continued till January 2018. Apart from that, Virat Kohli achieved the most consecutive Test victories of any Indian captain with this series victory over Bangladesh, going 19 straight without a loss.

King Kohli indeed scripted history in Hyderabad. It was truly the best of times. 

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

KING KOHLI MASTERCLASS

 

Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.

Venue- Perth Stadium, Perth [December 14-18, 2018].

The English pitches in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy are facing immense criticism from the cricket fans. The reason being that the pitches are flat and batting friendly. Moreover, the pitch is so much more favorable to the batsmen that the bowlers are literally nowhere in the contest. To be honest, it has become a contest of bat versus bat instead of bat versus ball. Interestingly, due to easy batting conditions, we are witnessing multiple centuries from players. The conditions have become so serene that a half-century is considered a missed opportunity. As a result, the matches have become quite boring.

The real fun begins when the contest between bat and ball is equal or tilted towards the bowlers. After all, this is when the real skill set of a batsman is checked. A hundred in such a condition are thus remembered for the ages. One such knock that comes to my mind is Virat Kohli's 123 in the Perth Stadium against the mighty Aussies in 2018.

India was playing against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After losing the first test at Adelaide, the Australians prepared a green surface in Perth to unleash their pace attack. Moreover, their batsmen did their job as they piled up 326 in the first innings. 

In response, India was reeling at 8/2 when Captain Kohli came in the center. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the Aussies would have steamrolled us. And boy! What we witnessed next was something truly unbelievable. Captain Kohli got off his mark with an on-drive, which sent tremors around the Aussies. Everyone knew that we were in for a real contest now. 

The bowlers were bowling their best deliveries. The pitch had swing, seam, and pace. However, the captain stood strong and played it all like a king. It was literally hammer and tongs. In an innings that lasted more than 6 hours, Kohli played an incredible knock of 123 in which he hit 13 boundaries and 1 six. It was truly a delight to watch. However, the moment that grabbed all the headlines was his celebration after he got his hundred. Let the Bat do the talking. 

Even though India lost this test, the game will always be remembered for King Kohli's masterclass. At a time when batsmen struggled to get past 50, Kohli scored a magnificent hundred. 

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here.

To watch Ball by Ball Highlights, Click Here.

To watch the Aussie Team reaction on Virat Kohli's 100, Click Here. 

THE LEGEND OF KING KOHLI

 

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Venue- Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua [July 21-25, 2016].

In the summer of 2016, the Indian Cricket Team toured the West Indies and the United States to play 4 Tests and 2 T20 Internationals. Team India under Captain Kohli were in red-hot form. However, one can never underestimate the host nation in a test game. In a highly anticipated game, Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a batting paradise. Opener Shikhar Dhawan gave Indians a solid start, which allowed the middle order to play freely. 

In an overseas test series, it is important that the captain leads from the front. And boy! What a knock Kohli played. Captain Kohli batted for more than 6 hours and scored a magnificent double hundred. Furthermore, in his knock of 200, Kohli hit a total of 24 boundaries. It was truly a masterclass and delight to watch. Apart from the captain, Ashwin too scored a gritty 113 as India declared at a mammoth total of 566/8.  In response, the Windies were bowled out for just 243 in their first innings as Shami and Umesh Yadav made a mess of the Caribbean batting lineup. The duo picked 4 wickets each as the hosts bundled out quickly in the first innings. 

Since India got a massive 323-run lead in the first innings, Captain Kohli decided to enforce a follow-on. The Windies were under immense pressure, and the spin web of Ravichandran Ashwin made sure that the Indians won this game by an innings. Ashwin picked up 7 wickets in the second innings as the Windies were bowled out for just 231 in their second innings. 

Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance as the Indians won the first test by an innings and 92 runs and took a 1-0 lead in the series.

To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here. 

THE LIMITATIONS OF BAZBALL

 

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Venue- Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan [October 7-11, 2024].

Since Brendon McCullum has become the coach of the English Test side, the POMS have been playing a brand of cricket that has never been seen before. The Three Lions have redefined the way test cricket is played by their aggressive brand of cricket. Some call it entertaining, whereas others call it stupid. However, one cannot deny the fact that their style has taken the cricketing world by storm. 

However, the question that arises is, what is actually the Bazball style of play? The same can be best explained by the England-Pakistan game, which was played in Multan between October 7 and 11. On a flat pitch, the hosts amassed a massive 556 in 149 overs. It appeared that the game would end in a draw. However, this is when the Bazball style of play came in between. The English scored a whopping 823 in 150 overs and put the pressure back on the Pakistanis. Harry Brook, who is the poster boy of the Bazball style of cricket, scored a massive 317 off just 322 deliveries. Even Joe Root batted at a strike rate of 70 as he scored 262 of 375 deliveries. The duo literally made a mess of the Pakistani bowling line-up who was struggling to take wickets. The hosts looked simply clueless in front of the assault unleashed before them. It seemed that gave all hopes of taking a wicket and were waiting for the English declaration. Due to such an explosive batting performance, the visitors were thus successful in putting the pressure back on the hosts. Eventually, the hosts crumbled in the second innings, and the English ended up winning the game by an innings and 47 runs. To be honest, the game would have ended in a draw if the POMS would have batted like a typical test inning. 

But now the question that arises is why is everyone criticizing Bazball if it is bringing results than a draw? The answer to the same is that the Bazball style of play works in conditions where the pitch is flat and fast. The moment the pitch shows the signs of spin and swing, Bazball falls apart. The same was quite evident in the next 2 games wherein the Pakistani prepared a spin web, and the English lost both. 

To watch the innings of Harry Brook, Click Here.

To watch the innings of Joe Root, Click Here. 

THE BEN STOKES SHOW

 

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Venue- The Oval, London [September 13, 2023].

In the English summer of 2023, the New Zealand Cricket Team toured England to play 4 T20 Internationals and 4 ODIs. The tour was a part of the 2023 World Cup preparations for both sides. The T20 Series ended in a 2-2 draw, whereas the ODI series was leveled 1-1 before both the teams reached Oval for the penultimate game. In a must-win game, Kiwi Captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field first. 

Kiwi speedster Trent Boult came charging in in his initial overs and reduced England to 13/2 in 2.4 overs. It appeared that the Kiwis would steamroll the English in their backyard. However, this is when Ben Stokes joined Dawid Malan in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. A couple more wickets and the Kiwis would have wrapped up this series in no time. 

Interestingly, what happened next was something truly unbelievable. Ben Stokes came charging against the Kiwis and produced a counterattack never seen before. Stokes scored a monumental 182 off just 124 deliveries (15 boundaries, 9 sixes) and took the game away from the Black Caps. He was quite unlucky that he missed his double hundred that day. However, the kind of game he displayed that day will forever be remembered. Be it pacer or spinner, everyone was hit out of the park. Moreover, his inning was a combination of both class and power hitting. It was truly a delight to watch one of the finest performances by one of the best players on the planet. Apart from Stokes, Malan scored a gritty 96 as the Hosts were bowled out for 368 in 48.1 overs. 

A target of 369 was never going to be an easy task for the Kiwis. Moreover, the fall of wickets at regular intervals made sure that the English maintained a grip over the game all throughout. Eventually the Visitors were bowled out for 187 in 39 overs as the Hosts won the game by 181 runs. 

Ben Stokes was awarded the Man of the Match award for the knock that will never be forgotten. 

To watch the Highlights of the Game, Click Here. 

To watch the Innings of Ben Stokes, Click Here.

A TITAN SIGNS OFF- VIRAT KOHLI'S GLORIOUS TEST JOURNEY ENDS

 

Author- Author- Sanket Shivansh Srivastava.

This Blog was first posted Here. 

On a quiet Monday morning, the cricketing world paused to absorb a momentous announcement. Virat Kohli, one of the most defining figures in the history of Indian cricket, officially brought his 14-year Test career to an end. The news, shared through an emotional social media post, sent ripples of nostalgia, admiration, and melancholy across fans and experts alike. Kohli leaves the longest format with 123 Test matches, 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, and 30 centuries—a legacy that redefined Indian Test cricket in the 21st century.

The Beginning: A Humble Start

Kohli’s Test career began in June 2011 on India's tour of the West Indies. His debut at Sabina Park in Kingston wasn’t dreamlike scores of 4 and 15 and a total of 76 runs in five innings didn’t hint at the greatness to come. But by the end of that year, in Mumbai, he began finding his rhythm with half-centuries in both innings against the same opponents. Still, his real arrival came in early 2012 when he scored a classy 116 against Australia in Adelaide, where the iconic journey truly took flight.

The Leader Rises: Kohli Takes the Helm

The turning point in his career—and perhaps for modern Indian Test cricket—came in December 2014. MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement from Tests during the tour of Australia opened the doors for Kohli to assume full-time captaincy. What followed was a transformational era for India. Under Kohli’s leadership, the team adopted a fearless, aggressive mindset, especially in overseas conditions.

India won 40 of the 68 Tests under his captaincy, the highest by any Indian skipper. His leadership made him not just statistically India’s most successful captain but also arguably its most influential, bringing a culture of intensity, fitness, and pride in playing in whites. He emphasized pace, fitness, and relentlessness, shaping a unit capable of winning anywhere.

Golden Years: Dominance with the Bat

From 2016 to 2018, Kohli entered a phase of supreme dominance. In those three years, he averaged nearly 67, amassing 3596 runs in 35 Tests, with 14 centuries. He averaged 75.93 in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, and 55.08 in 2018—numbers that solidified his place among the modern-day greats. During this period, Kohli’s consistency was remarkable, whether he was playing on spin-friendly Indian tracks or the seaming pitches of England and South Africa.

His twin hundreds in Adelaide in 2014, a sublime 167 against England in Visakhapatnam, and his career-best 254* against South Africa in Pune were not just masterclasses in technique but demonstrations of his mental resilience. Arguably, his most redemptive and cherished innings came in 2018 when he returned to England and put to rest the ghost of the disastrous 2014 tour. With 593 runs in five Tests at an average of nearly 60, he stood tall, even as India lost the series.

© BCCI

The Adelaide Symbolism: Where the Legacy Took Shape

Adelaide became more than just a venue for Kohli. It was in Adelaide in 2012 that he announced his arrival with a century. In 2014, as stand-in captain, he played two of his most iconic innings, scoring 115 and 141 in the same match. Though India lost the game, a new chapter had begun. His grit, hunger, and refusal to back down became symbolic of a new era in Indian cricket—bold, expressive, and competitive on foreign soil.

Kohli’s Impact on Indian Test Culture

Under Kohli’s captaincy, India didn’t just win at home. They began to challenge and conquer abroad. The 2018–19 series win in Australia was a watershed moment, India’s first-ever Test series victory Down Under. Kohli’s fingerprints were all over it—not just in strategy and spirit, but in belief. He empowered a pace attack that could dismantle opponents, encouraged fielding standards that matched global bests, and held himself to elite fitness levels.

His passion for Test cricket also stood out in a generation increasingly drawn to white-ball glitz. Kohli often described Tests as the “purest” and “most challenging” form of the game, something his farewell note reiterated with sentiment: "There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever."

The Challenges and the End

Like all great careers, Kohli’s too witnessed a dip. Post-2019, his form in Tests began to waver. His last century before a long drought came in the day-night Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in 2019. It took over three years before he raised his bat again for a hundred—this time in Ahmedabad against Australia in 2023. In the final 24 months of his career, he averaged 32.56, a stark contrast from his prime.

A Generation Says Goodbye

Kohli’s departure follows closely on the heels of Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirements from Test cricket. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane out of contention and Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav not in the mix, an era has truly ended. Only KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah remain as remnants of the golden generation that reached back-to-back World Test Championship (WTC) finals.

The transition feels reminiscent of 2012–13, when the likes of Dravid, Laxman, and eventually Tendulkar signed off. It’s now time for a new wave, likely to be led by Shubman Gill in whites, to forge their own identity.

Kohli’s Place in History

Kohli retires as not only India's most successful Test captain but also one of the most influential players in modern cricket. His 30 centuries in 123 Tests place him among the finest batters the game has seen. More importantly, he was a custodian of the red-ball format in an era where T20 leagues often overshadowed it.

BCCI President Roger Binny summed it up aptly: “His leadership marked a shift in how India competed overseas — with aggression, belief, and a refusal to settle for second best.”

Kohli redefined what it meant to wear whites for India. He brought charisma, fight, and an insatiable hunger to a format that demands patience and perseverance. His legacy isn't just in numbers but in the attitude and ambition he infused into Indian Test cricket.

Signing Off with Gratitude

Kohli’s final post read like a heartfelt letter to the game: “I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more… I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”

As he signs off with cap number 269, Virat Kohli leaves behind not just a record book full of milestones but a blueprint for future generations—play hard, dream big, respect the game, and never settle.

Test cricket in India will never be the same again. And perhaps, that’s the greatest tribute to Virat Kohli’s legacy.