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How MS Dhoni Saved Virat Kohli's Test Career When The Youngster Was Struggling

Anurag Dasgupta

How MSD saved Kohli's career [Source: @IshitaKohlified/x.com] How MSD saved Kohli's career [Source: @IshitaKohlified/x.com]

In 2025, Virat Kohli is a household name and is arguably the best Cricketer of this generation. In today's time, the run machine, Kohli has amassed truckloads of runs and has had a successful international career. However, that was not the case when he started his Test career in 2011.

Kohli made his Test debut against West Indies in 2011 and unlike his white-ball career, the youngster had a rocky start as the Windies bowlers troubled him with sheer pace and bounce. Despite a slow start, the right-handed batter was taken on the tour of Australia with the hope that he can revive his red-ball career.

However, in the first two matches, the batter failed to deliver and had scores of 11, 0, 23, 9. After four failures, outside noise began to rise as experts wanted Kohli to be removed from the Test team. Many wanted Rohit Sharma to get a nod ahead of him and this is where MS Dhoni saved his career.

How Kohli is forever grateful towards MS Dhoni

After not scoring in four innings, Down Under, selectors were interested in bringing Rohit into the team as they wanted to drop Kohli. However, MS Dhoni, the then-India Test captain stood like a brick wall and urged the selectors to back Kohli for a longer run, a decision which the selectors accepted.

The decision paid dividends as Kohli scored 44 and 75 in the next Test at Perth and was India's highest run-getter. However, the best was yet to come as the Delhi player smacked his maiden Test ton in the final game at Adelaide and was the lone centurion from the Indian team on that tour.

Kohli's successful Test career, thanks to MSD

With the backing of MS Dhoni, Kohli stayed in the team and after the great end to his Australian tour, he became a permanent member of the red-ball side.

The cricketer went on to slam 30 Test centuries and also became the most successful Indian captain in red ball cricket. He amassed 9230 runs in Tests and also led his side to 40 wins in 68 matches.