Editorial: Captain Kohli

Virat Kohli’s leadership marked a shift in how India competed overseas — with aggression, self-belief and refusal to settle for second best

Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket — abrupt and untimely for millions of his fans — brought the curtains down on an era that saw India consolidate its position as a cricket powerhouse. The defining feature of Kohli, whose career spanned 14 years and 123 Tests, has been his infectious energy, grit and relentless pursuit of excellence which helped redefine Indian cricket. He is one of the best Test captains and batters to have ever played for the country. Apart from personal records, which put him among the greats of modern cricket, Kohli’s biggest contribution is that he has brought fitness to the centre stage of the game and his on-field manic energy rubs off on his teammates. Hailed as a master chaser, his running between the wickets — swiftly converting singles into twos — is the stuff of cricketing legend. Many feel that he still has enough cricket left in him and his exit from Test may have come a bit early. However, as King Kohli himself said, it was not an easy decision but it felt right. It is commendable that he has decided to call it quits in the longer format of the game when he is still at his peak. What set him apart was not just his hunger for runs, but his commitment to excellence in the toughest format of the game. His leadership marked a shift in how India competed overseas — with aggression, self-belief and refusal to settle for second best.

Coming just after skipper Rohit Sharma’s retirement, Kohli’s exit will leave the Indian team, touring England next month, in the hands of inexperienced young talent. In the years that this Delhi lad dominated the game, it was impossible not to be mesmerised by his energy. Kohli made his Test debut on India’s tour of the West Indies in mid-2011 and took over the Test captaincy reins from MS Dhoni in 2014. He led India over a successful eight-year tenure with 50 Test wins out of 68 outings, making him the most successful Indian Test captain ever. Kohli also dominated with the bat while leading the side, aggregating a staggering 5,864 runs in 113 innings as captain, the fourth-best tally among all Test tallies. Across 123 Tests, 210 innings, 30 hundreds and numerous match-winning feats in an era when India became a force abroad, he was the soul of India’s batting. With 9,230 runs at 46.85 average, Kohli stands fourth on the all-time charts among Indian batters, only behind the legendary trio of Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Rahul Dravid (13,265) and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122). Kohli’s batting style relies on immaculate timing rather than brute strength, blending classical orthodoxy with gladiatorial will. He will be remembered as a snarling warrior in whites, never giving an inch, always demanding more — not just of his bowlers, his fielders or his opposition, but first and foremost, of himself.