Virat Kohli Was Not Among the Top 10 Test Batters, but He Was the Most Impactful

Test cricket will not remember Virat Kohli for the batter that he was, but for the impact he had on the format.

Virat Kohli might be the most influential figure in the history of Test cricket.

(Photo: BCCI)

Where does Virat Kohli rank among all-time great Test Batters?

Individual milestones matter to Virat Kohli. He knows all about them — his fifties, his hundreds, his batting averages against particular oppositions, his batting record in particular countries.

While many might say, including Kohli himself, that personal records mean nothing to him, there's no need to be defensive about it. Records have spurred him on to produce his best, and more often than not, it was in the best interest of Team India as well.

That said, over the last couple of years, we have witnessed Virat Kohli's selfless side. Be it his letting go of the Test captaincy when he could have fought for it or his ultra-aggressive streak in the last T20 World Cup, which some might even label counterproductive, both for him and the team.

Runs might not have been coming off his bat of late with the same frequency as they used to in his heyday, but the intensity hadn't dropped much. The same steely eyes, the same resolve, the same competitiveness.

On Gaurav Kapur’s show Breakfast with Champions, Kohli said back in 2018:

The day you lose your will to go out and try once more, then you can't do anything, and no one can convince you. No chance. The motivation is about winning. The day I lose my passion, I will stop playing. I will never drag myself for more than my body can take.

Virat Kohli, on Breakfast with Champions

True to his word, when his passion waned, he bid goodbye to Test cricket.

The Golden Phase From 2016 to 2019

Apart from a few understandable initial hiccups and a disastrous tour of England in 2014, where he managed just 134 runs in ten innings, Virat Kohli, the Test batter, was always a delight to watch.

Before COVID-19 spread its evil tentacles around the world, and cricket, like much else, came to a grinding halt, runs were flying off Kohli's bat. He averaged 75.93 in Tests in 2016, 75.64 in 2017, 55.08 in 2018, and 68.00 in 2019. From 2016 to 2018, Kohli was close to invincible in Tests, scoring 3596 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 66.59, with 14 centuries and eight half-centuries.

Post COVID-19, be it fatherhood or age catching up, even with one of the best batters of his generation, something changed in him fundamentally. From 2020 onwards, he made 2028 runs from 39 matches at a disappointing average of 30.72, with three centuries and nine half-centuries.

Even when the runs did come on odd occasions, the swag of the old Kohli — the real Kohli — went somewhat missing. Fans hoped against hope that it was just a phase and things would be back to their best each time he reached three figures in Test cricket of late, but unfortunately for them, the beginning of the end had already started post the pandemic.

Kohli Showed He Was a Bigger Human

The realisation from within must have been very strong for Kohli, for him to convey his decision to move on to the BCCI, even when the selectors were more than willing to give him a few more chances to bounce back to form. For a man who relished records, Kohli did not chase the 10,000-run milestone.

Elusive to most cricketing mortals, it was pretty much in sight for the former Indian captain. Having represented India in 123 games, Kohli put a full stop to his Test career, with 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 against his name.

With two home Test series following the England tour, a realistic march to 10,000 Test runs and a highly anticipated farewell at home were there to be had. Kohli showed he was a bigger human being by walking away from the format he cherished the most, when his conscience told him to do so.

Where Does Kohli Rank Among the All-Time Test Greats?

Is Kohli among the top 5, or even top 10 batters of all time in Test cricket? The answer, perhaps, is no. Was he among the players who had the most impact on Test cricket? Bet your house on it.

Among batters of the modern era to have scored a minimum of 5,000 runs, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara sits at the top with an average of 57.40. Former Australian captain Steve Smith follows closely with an average of 56.74. Jacques Kallis (average: 55.37), Kane Williamson (average: 54.88), Brian Lara (average: 52.88), and Javed Miandad (average: 52.57) are the other true-blue batting greats of red-ball cricket.

Among Indians, quite unsurprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar rules the roost with 15,921 runs from 200 Tests at 53.78. Rahul Dravid (13,265 runs at 52.63), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs at 51.12), and Virender Sehwag (8503 runs at 49.43) are also ahead of Kohli in terms of numbers.

Kohli's Impact Is Uncontested

However, the impact that Kohli had on Test cricket is uncontested. The popularity of Test cricket was on a declining curve when Kohli took charge of the Test team, and India's performance in overseas Test matches left a lot to be desired.

By taking the overrated 'playing for the draw' out of the Indian mentality and giving a renewed push to fast bowling — which saw the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma prosper under his captaincy — Kohli gave Test cricket a new lease of life, not just in India, but internationally.

His intensity across the grind of five days made every ball an event. The scraps with the opposition, though childish at times, kept the masala quotient high at any given point in red-ball cricket. Different people might have different things to say about his captaincy style, but with 40 wins and just 17 losses from 68 Test matches as captain, Kohli takes the cake when it comes to leadership.

Statistically, he is India's most successful Test captain of all time, ahead of Dhoni with 27 wins from 60 matches and Sourav Ganguly with 21 wins from 49 matches. Kohli currently sits at No. 4 — just like his adored batting position — on the overall list of captains with the most Test wins, in the same list as Graeme Smith (53 wins from 109 matches), Ricky Ponting (48 wins from 77), and Steve Waugh (41 wins from 57 matches).

First Rohit Sharma, and now Virat Kohli. Test cricket will never be the same for an entire generation of red-ball faithfuls. Happy second innings, champion!