Kohli took over as full-time Test captain in early 2015 when MS Dhoni announced his retirement in Australia, and ended up as India’s most successful Test captain ever.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has lauded Virat Kohli for his unwavering commitment to Test cricket, both as a player and as a captain. “When I was coming through the ranks, especially in a time when the T20 format and the IPL didn’t exist, first-class cricket was the ultimate goal. We aspired to get into the Test side,” Gambhir said during a chat with Kohli, in a video shared by BCCI.tv.
“While playing in the limited-overs formats was exciting, we always believed that we would be judged by our performances in red-ball cricket. The legacy you leave behind in the sport is deeply tied to how well you perform in Test cricket. You played a massive role when you spoke about how important Test cricket is for you.”
Kohli stepped down as captain of India’s Test team in 2022, a day after losing a Test series to South Africa 2-1 with a seven-wicket defeat in Cape Town.
He took over as full-time Test captain in early 2015 when MS Dhoni announced his retirement in Australia, and ended up as India’s most successful Test captain ever. Kohli’s stint as Test captain was largely successful, as he oversaw the team’s rise to No. 1 in the ICC rankings and several memorable overseas victories. In 2021, he led India to the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in Southampton.
