India’s Longest Unbeaten Streak, Kohli’s Captaincy Record & More

The first time an Indian team has won six Test series on the trot.

The final day of the one-off Test between India and Bangladesh started with the visitors facing an uphill task - of either having to survive a minimum 90 overs to settle for a draw or score 356 runs to eke out an improbable win. On predicted lines, the visitors’ batting fell apart, and just after what should have been the scheduled tea break, Bangladesh were bundled out for 250.

The win by 208 runs meant India had now stretched their unbeaten run in Test cricket to 19 consecutive matches; the last time that any opposition got the better of India was in August 2015 when Sri Lanka defeated India in the series opener at Galle. Since then, India have won 15 Tests and settled for a draw on four occasions. The fact that only four other teams have managed to string together such a run in the 140-year history of Test cricket puts in perspective India’s prolific run.

The win in Hyderabad also meant India extended their unbeaten run in Tests at home to 20 matches; this equalled India’s longest run of being unbeaten in Test matches at home. The last time India were beaten in a home Test match was by England in December 2012; since then, India have won 17 Tests and drawn 3 others.

With the win on Monday, the Indian team also set a new high, in that they have now won the last six Test series they have competed in – a feat no other Indian team of the past had been able to achieve. India’s longest series-winning-streak previously was five Test series – achieved between October 2008 and January 2010.

The win in Hyderabad was India’s 15th under Virat Kohli as Test captain. Among the 32 players who have captained India in Test cricket, only two – MS Dhoni (27 wins in 60 Tests) and Sourav Ganguly (21 wins in 49 Tests) - have more wins than Virat Kohli has at this stage of his career.

In fact, if compared with captains around the world, only one captain - had more wins after 23 Test matches, which is how many Virat Kohli has been captain in.