June 20 will forever be etched in the hallowed chronicles of Indian cricket. It stands witnessing the illustrious debut of three national legends: Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli – into the arduous realm of Test cricket. In 1996, Ganguly and Dravid embarked on their journeys, leaving an indelible mark.
Ganguly showcased his mettle in his first appearance by conjuring a glorious century. Dravid etched his name with a commendable score of 95 runs. Kohli began his foray into Test cricket with a relatively subdued performance.
2011 saw Kohli’s maiden encounter with the West Indies in Kingston, where he accumulated a mere four and 15 runs. This series culminated in a forgettable tally of 76 runs across three Tests. Still, MS Dhoni’s unwavering faith in Kohli’s abilities paved the way for his retention in the four-Test series against Australia later that year. The rest is history. Kohli made a resounding arrival with a dazzling innings of 76 runs in Perth, followed by his maiden Test century in Adelaide. Twelve years later, he stands as one of the most preeminent batsmen the game has ever seen.
Kohli expressed his profound love for Test cricket to commemorate this auspicious day. He took to his social media to share a heartfelt message. He conveyed, “12 years in Test cricket today. Forever grateful.” The post reverberated with fans, causing a momentary ripple of panic. Some interpreted it as an impending retirement announcement.
The image that Kohli shared, featuring his signature cover drive, sent shockwaves among his fans before they delved into the accompanying caption that assuaged their concerns. “For a second, I thought it was a retirement post in Test cricket,” wrote one user on Kohli’s Instagram post. Another fan, with palpable relief, expressed their sentiment, exclaiming, “I experienced a mini-heart attack. I believed The King had posted a retirement message.”
The fans’ anxiety is understandable, given that Kohli had made a couple of unexpected announcements on social media in the past. In October 2021, he decided to step down as India’s T20I team captain following the culmination of the T20 World Cup. That announcement made some noise. Kohli’s subsequent revelation on January 15, 2022, made after India’s 1-2 defeat in South Africa, caught the cricketing world by surprise.
The tale of love between Kohli and the Test matches is extraordinary. Not only has he exhibited exemplary prowess as a batsman, but he has also redefined Test cricket for India as a captain. Under his leadership, the team achieved five consecutive Test series victories. It became a testament to India’s reign as the top-ranked Test team for an unbroken span of five years. Kohli, alongside coach Ravi Shastri, started a fitness revolution, too. They set new benchmarks with the introduction of the Yo-Yo test.
Furthermore, he played a pivotal role in assembling a formidable pace-bowling unit that held sway over opponents. With Kohli at the helm, India emerged as an indomitable force during overseas tours. The team secured consecutive Test series triumphs in Australia and battled to a well-fought draw in England. Kohli concluded his tenure as India’s most successful Test captain, amassing 40 wins and surpassing MS Dhoni’s previous record.
