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Virat Kohli Surpassed MS Dhoni To Become India’s Most Successful Captain On This Day In 2019

Virat Kohli with the series trophy (x.com)Virat Kohli with the series trophy (x.com)

Virat Kohli’s Test captaincy heralded with a tough 2014-15 tour of Australia, where an in-vain fighting run-chase and a hard-earned draw handed India a 0-2 series defeat. Regardless, the series demonstrated signs of a new-age fighting spirit within the Indian team in a post-MS Dhoni era, all under the supervision of the charismatic run-machine.

Nearly four and a half years later, Kohli surpassed his predecessor Dhoni to become India’s most decorated Test captain of all time with a series win in West Indies. Here at OneCricket, we take a look back at the historic series that etched Kohli’s name at the top of India’s history books.

When Bumrah made Virat Kohli most successful captain

Team India started off their all-format tour of West Indies in August 2019 with a 3-0 T20I series sweep and a 2-0 ODI series win. Virat Kohli’s troops also recorded a huge 318-run win in the first Test to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

In the second Test at Kingston, Jasprit Bumrah shattered West Indies with first-innings figures of 6-27, a hostile spell that even included a hat-trick. Bumrah’s 12-over demolition job of the hosts helped India gain a colossal 299-run lead after Hanuma Vihari’s sublime ton and Virat Kohli’s artistic 76. Vihari made another 53* in the second innings alongside fellow half-centurion Ajinkya Rahane as the Indian lead swelled to 467.

Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja later jolted West Indies with identical three-fers to secure a 257-run win and a 2-0 series sweep for India. Remarkably, the series outcome made Virat Kohli the most successful Test captain in India’s history, as he soared past his predecessor and former teammate MS Dhoni’s tally of 27 wins at a much quicker rate.

In the post-match press conference, Kohli attributed the success of his record-breaking win to Jasprit Bumrah. The legendary Indian batter even described Bumrah the 'most complete bowler in the world' at the time.