In today’s weekend topic, I am still on cricket.
On Monday, May 12th, 2025, VIRAT KOHLI hung up his cricket whites, meaning he announced his retirement from Test Cricket after a career spanning 123 Tests. He scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85. His breathtaking Test career includes 30 centuries, seven double centuries, and 31 half centuries.
Here are some of his Best Test Knocks
1 254 not out vs South Africa, Pune, 2019
He marked his 50th Test as Indian skipper with career-best Test score of 254 not out came in the second Test f 2019 series against South Africa. Walking in at 136/2, he anchored the innings and paced his knock to perfection, while he spent nearly eight hours at crease.
His innings studded with 33 fours and 2 sixes broke the back of a quality South African bowling attack featuring Rabada, Vernon Philander, and Nortje, none of whom could find a way past his defence and elegant strokeplay. His unbeaten double century helped India declare at 601/6, which in the end resulted in 137 run victory.
2 119 & 96 vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2013
In his first tour to South Africa and his first game at No. 4, he announced his arrival in tough overseas conditions. Facing the likes of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel on a lively pitch, he showcased supreme technique against quick trio. His first innings century laid the foundation for India’s strong total, while his composed 96 in the second innings nearly resulted in twin centuries in the match. India narrowly missed out on a famous win as South Africa held on for a draw, but Kohli’s temperament in tough conditions reflected signs of what was to come.
3 115 & 141 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2014
This was the first taste fans had to Kohli the captain. Taking over as India’ stand-in Test skipper after Dhoni’s injury, Kohli led from front with twin centuries -115 in the first innings and 141 in the second. On a flat pitch, his first innings knock was laden with confident strokeplay, dominating the Aussie attack of the likes of Mitchell Johnson. However, it was his second innings 141 that truly sttod out. Chasing 364 for victory, Kohli launched a bold counter-attack despite losing partners at regular intervals, refusing to play for draw.
Even though India lost by 48 runs, his leadership and fearless batting were widely lauded and marked the beginning of his assertive captaincy era.
4 169 & 54 vs Australia at Melbourne, 2014
In the third Test of the series, he struck a brilliant 169 off 272 balls, his then career best innings in Tests and his first century in a Test match against Australia at MCG. Australia had put huge total of 530, thanks to century by Steve Smith. On the third morning India reeling at 147/3, Virat paired up with Ajinkya Rahane hammering 269 runs in lashing 39 boundaries between them in over four hours of batting. He was dismissed at the fag end of the day for 169. In the process he became 1oth Indian batsman to amass 1000 runs in Tests vs Australia-his tally being 1029 (av 57.16) in 11 Testa, including five hundreds and two fifties.
Australia set India 384 for victory and on a rainy day, India lost 3 quick wickets but Kohli once again paired up with Rahane (48) dug deep. He top scored with 54 to help India hold on to a draw.
5 235 vs England, Mumbai, 2016
At Wankhede Stadium, he produced a monumental innings of 235-his highest Test score till then. His innings was the mainstay of India’s mammoth total of 631, helping hosts score an innings victory and seal the series. He batted for nearly 9 hours, facing 340 deliveries with 25 fours and a six, exhibiting exceptional stamina and concentration.
This knock was also part of golden run for Kohli, marking his third double- century in the same year-a record for an Indian captain at the time.
6 149 vs England, Edgbaston, 2018
This was his first century in England, and he exorcised ghosts of 2014 and silenced critics with stunning 149 in the first Test of series. He faced the formidable attack featuring James Anderson and Stuart broad under testing conditions. Walking in at 54/2, he weathered relentless swing and seam to notch up blistering century, almost single handedly keeping India in the game as wickets keep tumbling at the other end. Though India narrowly lost the Test by 31 runs, Kohli’s knock was widely hailed as one of greatest overseas by an Indian batter.
7 153 vs South Africa, Centurian,2018
Here, he played one of his grittiest knocks under difficult overseas conditions. On a pitch with variable bounce and against quality South African pace attack led by Morne Morkel, Rabada, and Philander, he compiled a superb 153 out of India’s total of 307. What made innings remarkable was how Kohli stood tall as wickets kept falling at the other end-no other Indian crossed 50 in the innings. Despite India’s defeat in the match, Kohli’s performance was praised by its determination and technical excellence in foreign conditions.
8 79 vs South Africa, Cape Town 2022
He travelled on this tour under tremendous pressure. He was short of runs and rumours of him losing his Test leadership was going around. Despite it all, he was picture of patience and perseverance while compiling a well-crafted 79, but South Africa gained upper hand on the opening day of the Test. He was top scorer in India’s first innings of 223. South Africa eventually won the Test but Kohli showed his mental toughness.
Friends, you will notice that four of his Best Test performance came against South Africa (50%).
When Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, Ms Thanja Vurr, A South Indian actress known for cricket-related content on social media, said “ King Kohli retires, now we can sit and talk about his stats, but let’s be honest, it will take us to Christmas. No, instead I am going to talk about a feeling or a whole damn series, that’s what Kohli did when you played against him. Because here’s that your team could be on top, but anytime Virat can come and change the course of match with his bat, a catch in a deep, or his shrewd captaincy, as long as he was prowling in the field you were never sure of victory. His eyes knew nothing of defeat, it had one mission that to be part of greatest Test team in the world, and he did it. Now some will say South Africa is the hardest place in the world to bat, but you look like it was a just a playground. I was not smiling, I was praying, but Virat is bigger than a era. Thank you inspiring the generations to love the greatest format of cricket. Thank you, and see you in 2027 (ODI WC)”.
In my opinion this is best tribute to Virat by a South African fan.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
16th May 2025