Leading the side, specifically in Test cricket, is not an easy task. Being a captain you have to think about the field placements, bowling changes and strategies while on the field and as a result you don't get much time to think about your game.

Representing your country is considered to be the greatest goal of a cricketer when he takes the sport as a profession. Leading the country is considered to be a prime honour in cricket, especially in India as you become the voice and face of the team.

Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket on May 12, 2025, left his mark with both captaincy and as batter. His aggression and intensity was unmatchable and was someone who always led the side from the front. But it all started when legendary India skipper MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket midway in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014. But, it didn't feel like he was not ready for the opportunity. He revolutionized the way India were playing Test cricket in that time. He took some calls that he will play with five specialist bowlers even if they had to compromise with batting.

There could be different styles of captaincy, but the expectations are so high that it should not affect your performance as a player. There are certain players who thrive under pressure while a few players' individual performances saw a sudden dip. However, there was one Indian captain, who not only took India to number 1 spot in ICC rankings from no. 7 when he was appointed as the captain, but displayed the world that he had come to dominate world cricket and eventually conquered it. He ultimately retired as the most successful India captain and skipper with four most wins in Test cricket history and his name is -- Virat Kohli.

He encouraged his colleagues to improve their fitness, show aggression. His huddle talk on the final day of the Lord's test in 2021 against England where he says - "let's them feel hell out of here and nobody will smile at them." was a highlight of his captaincy career,

Kohli holds one unique record to his name in Test cricket which only two captains have managed to achieve in history. Virat Kohli holds the record for the first Indian to score hundreds in both innings of a Test match on captaincy debut, second is Australia's Greg Chappell.

After an injury to MS Dhoni, Kohli led the team for the first time in red-ball cricket in what marked the first Test match the 36-year-old played after his disastrous England tour. On the first ball in the match he faced, Mitchell Johnson's bouncer smashed him on his face. On his captaincy debut with the world doubting him in red-ball cricket, Kohli faced a test with fire but responded in style with a fine century.

But that was not Virat Kohli. He set the mark in his first match as captain and told the team to go for the win. The captain walked the talk with a stunning knock of 141. Ultimately, India fell short by 48 runs and lost the match, but it was a case of India losing the battle to win the war. Eventually, he became India's most successful Test captain. With 40 wins in 68 matches, he remains India's most successful Test captain. Only Steve Waugh (41), Ricky Ponting (48), and Graeme Smith (53) have registered more wins as Test captains.

On the final day, the right-handed batter played a knock that showed the world in which India is going to play Test cricket in the coming years forever. Needing 363 runs to win on final day, no one in their wildest dreams thought India could win that match and as has been the case for ages with the Indian team, most expected that they would play for a draw.

In his seven-year stint as captain, India lost just two Tests at home while winning all 11 series. Under his leadership Men in Blue dominated away tours as well and stayed world number one team in the world for almost four years on a trot. While the historic Test series win in Australia was the crowning glory, India won 7 Test matches in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. Before him, no Indian captain had won more than three.

Kohli averaged 54.80 as Test captain, scoring 5864 runs. His highest score as a skipper came in 2019, when he slammed an unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune.

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