Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) congratulated Virat Kohli on an extraordinary Test career that redefined the standards of excellence, leadership, and commitment in Indian Cricket.
Virat’s departure from the longest format brings to a close a chapter that not only elevated Indian Cricket on the global stage but also rekindled public passion for Test cricket in an era dominated by limited-overs formats. He placed the purest form of the game back on a pedestal. His deep respect for the format was evident not only in his words but in the fierce pride with which he wore India’s whites.
“Virat Kohli’s name will be remembered alongside the finest ever to have graced Test cricket. 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, belief, and a refusal to settle for second best. He inspired a generation to take pride in the whites, and his impact on Indian cricket will be felt for decades to come,” read the statement by BCCI president Roger Binny.
From his debut against the West Indies in 2011 to his final Test earlier this year, Virat’s red-ball career spanned 14 years of supreme consistency, unmatched competitiveness, and bold leadership. He ends his Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches, averaging 46.85 with 30 centuries and 31 fifties.
However, his true impact transcends numbers. He redefined the attitude with which Indian Cricket approached Test matches—relentless, aggressive, and uncompromising. As captain, he led India in 68 Tests and recorded 40 victories, making him the most successful Test captain in the history of Indian cricket. Under his leadership, India ascended to the No. 1 ranking and stayed at the pinnacle for 42 consecutive months.
“Test cricket found not just an ambassador, but a true guardian in Virat Kohli. He led from the front, drove standards higher, and placed unmatched emphasis on fitness, discipline, and mental toughness. His batting performances—especially in challenging overseas conditions—have become reference points for future cricketers. He retires from this format as India’s most successful Test captain, setting the bar very high for the next generation,” added BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia.
His 115 and 141 in the Adelaide Test on his captaincy debut in 2014 set the tone for what was to follow. The aggressive intentions were made clear as India did not back off from a chase of 364. In the process, he became the first visiting batter since 1961 to score two centuries in a Test in Australia—a feat that remains unmatched. The toughest opponents often brought out the best in him, and it was in 2018–19 that India, under his leadership, became the first Asian side to win a Test series in Australia.
Under his leadership, India also notched overseas victories in Sri Lanka and the West Indies and finished as runner-up in the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final in 2021. At home, India remained unbeaten in a Test series under his captaincy and won 10 of the 11 series he was captain.
(IANS)
