Virat Kohli’s Test journey in numbers: A deep dive into the former captain’s red-ball legacy

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): As Virat Kohli draws the curtain on a glorious Test career, the numbers he leaves behind are a testament to his stature as one of the modern greats in the longest format. From home dominance to overseas grit, Kohli’s red-ball career was a masterclass in skill, determination, and consistency.

In 123 Tests, Kohli compiled 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, finishing as one of India’s most prolific and influential Test cricketers. Here’s a closer look at his record, team by team and venue by venue, as we pay tribute to a glittering red-ball career.

In Indian conditions, Kohli played 55 Test matches and scored 4,336 runs, including 14 centuries and 13 half-centuries. His highest Test score also came at home, a commanding 254* against South Africa in Pune in 2019. Whether it was spin-friendly turners or flat batting tracks, Kohli’s control and hunger for big scores made him a giant in home Tests.

Kohli’s most frequent Test opponent was Australia. Across 30 matches, he amassed 2,232 runs, notching up nine centuries and five fifties. His highest score against the Aussies was 186.

In Australia, he featured in 18 matches, scoring 1,542 runs, including seven centuries and four fifties, a staggering record given the challenges of playing on bouncy, pace-friendly pitches. His top score Down Under stands at 169, underlining his remarkable adaptability.

Against England, Kohli played in 28 Tests, scoring 1,991 runs, five hundreds, and nine fifties. His personal best against them was 235, which came at the Wankhede in 2016 during a dominant home series.

In England, he had struggled generally, but he compiled 1,096 runs in 17 matches, including two centuries and five half-centuries. His highest score on English soil was 149, a career-defining knock at Edgbaston that silenced his critics.

Kohli relished the battle against South Africa’s fiery pace attacks. In 16 Tests against the Proteas, he accumulated 1,408 runs, including three centuries and five fifties. His highest score in Test cricket was 254 not out, which came against South Africa at home.

In South Africa, he played nine Tests, scoring 891 runs with two centuries and four fifties. His best on South African soil was a gutsy 153.

Kohli faced New Zealand in 14 Tests, scoring 959 runs with three centuries and four fifties. His highest score against the Kiwis was 211.

In New Zealand, he featured in four matches, scoring 252 runs. His highest score there was an unbeaten 105 not out, with one century and one fifty to his name.

Kohli enjoyed a healthy record against Sri Lanka. In 11 Tests, he amassed 1,085 runs, including five centuries and two fifties. His top score of 243 came against them in Delhi.

In Sri Lanka, he played six matches, compiling 394 runs. He registered two centuries and one fifty, underlining his ability to perform across subcontinental conditions.

In 16 Tests against the West Indies, Kohli scored 1,019 runs, decorated with three centuries and six fifties. His best effort against the Caribbean side was a double-century, 200.

On West Indian soil, Kohli played 11 matches and scored 660 runs. He managed two centuries and three fifties, often anchoring India’s innings and showcasing his versatility on slower pitches.

Bangladesh was the team Kohli faced the least in Tests, only eight matches. He scored 536 runs with two centuries, and his highest score was 204 against them. Interestingly, he couldn’t register a fifty or a hundred on Bangladeshi soil, managing just 59 runs in three matches there. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

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