Did India Win In Virat Kohli's First Match As Test Captain?

Rajgeeta Yadav

Virat Kohli made India captaincy debut [Source: @I_am_Unkar007/X.com]Virat Kohli made India captaincy debut [Source: @I_am_Unkar007/X.com]

December 9, 2014, marked the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket as Virat Kohli captained the Test team for the first time. He made his captaincy debut in the first Test of a four-match series against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.

This series was significant in Indian cricket history as MS Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket after the third match, leaving Kohli to lead India in both the first and last Tests of the series.

Virat Kohli led Team India for First Time

In his debut match as skipper, Men In Blue put up a strong fight against Aussies. While chasing 364 in the fourth innings innings, Kohli and Murali Vijay built a solid partnership, keeping India’s hopes alive. 

However, Nathan Lyon turned the game around by removing Vijay for a gritty 99 and went on to claim impressive 7/152, dismantling India’s batting order. India, who were comfortably placed at 242/3, were eventually bowled out for 315 and they lost the match by 48 runs.

Kohli was the best performer for India, where the right-handed batter scored centuries in both innings. Despite his heroics, Australia dominated the series, winning it 2-0. The match also saw Karn Sharma make his Test debut, which turned out to be his only appearance in the longest format.

Virat Kohli As Indian Test Captain:

Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India have played 68 matches and won 40 matches. Kohli has scored 5,764 runs at an average of 54.80. 

Information
Stats
Matches68
Matches Won
40
Runs5,764
Average 54.80

Virat Kohli’s captaincy tenure, which began on this day, lasted for seven years, during which he established himself as one of the greatest Test captains in cricket history.