3 Epic Virat Kohli Comebacks In International Cricket

Virat Kohli and his epic comebacks (X.com)Virat Kohli and his epic comebacks (X.com)

Virat Kohli, the run machine of the Indian cricket team, has had his share of ups and downs throughout his illustrious career. 

In the initial phase of his career, Virat Kohli struggled to adapt to overseas conditions, which hindered his spot in the red-ball team. Moreover, even after being recognised as the best modern-day batter, Kohli witnessed a prolonged dry phase in the post-covid era. 

Even in his last ICC tournament in the T20 format, Virat Kohli couldn't escape failures. However, the only thing common between all these phases was Kohli's mental resilience to produce comebacks, which inspired generations. 

On that note, here are 3 epic comebacks of Virat Kohli in international cricket.

3. 2014 Test Series Against Australia

Virat Kohli vs AUS (X.com)Virat Kohli vs AUS (X.com)

The 2014 Test series against Australia was a turning point in Virat Kohli's career as he was hungry to prove himself after a disastrous campaign in the 2011-12 series. Kohli scored 300 runs at the average of 37.50 across 8 innings, including a duck. Hence, the 2014 series was an important series for Virat Kohli to prove his credentials as a Test batter in overseas conditions.

 In the absence of MS Dhoni, Kohli was handed the captaincy for the first Test in Adelaide, and he responded with a stunning century. However, the second innings knock of 141, while chasing a daunting target of 364, truly announced the arrival of Kohli in Test cricket. The fire invoked in Adelaide resulted in a terrific comeback series where Kohli finished with 692 runs across 8 innings at an average of 85.50.

2. The 71st Century After Three-Year Drought

Virat Kohli in 2023 Asia Cup (X.com)Virat Kohli in 2023 Asia Cup (X.com)

Virat Kohli, once being the frontrunner to beat Sachin Tendulkar's 100 international centuries record, went through a challenging period between 2020 and 2022, where he failed to score a century across all formats. For a batter of his calibre, this was a significant drought, leading to widespread speculation about his future. However, Kohli silenced his critics in style during the 2022 Asia Cup.

In a match against Afghanistan, Kohli ended his century drought with a scintillating 122* off 61 balls, marking his 71st international century and his first in T20Is. This inning not only broke the three-year wait but also gave the team a major boost ahead of the T20 World Cup. That innings marked the rebirth of Virat Kohli in international cricket.

1. The Grand Comeback In 2024 T20 World Cup Final 

Virat Kohli in 2024 T20 WC Final (X.com)Virat Kohli in 2024 T20 WC Final (X.com)

The 2024 T20 World Cup final will be remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport, and Virat Kohli was at the heart of it. Despite the tournament being Kohli's final stint in the T20 format, he struggled to score runs as an opener. After a series of abysmal failures, Kohli stood up when India needed it the most, i.e., during the final against South Africa. 

Batting first, India were reduced to 34/3 before Kohli scored 76 off 59 deliveries to steer India to a fighting total of 176. His partnerships with Axar Patel and Shivam Dube were pivotal. Eventually, India ended up winning the World Cup from a precarious stage, and Kohli bid adieu to the T20 format with a trophy in his hand.