Virat Kohli has hung up his boots after an illustrious 14-year Test career, leaving behind a legacy of 9,230 runs. His international tally exceeds 27,000 runs, cementing his status as one of the greatest cricketers. Yet, there was a time when scoring 50 felt like a Herculean task for him.
The Dark Days
Kohli’s Test career started on a promising note, with 1,721 runs in his first 41 innings. By the end of the New Zealand series in 2014, his average was a respectable 46.51. However, his next assignment – a five-Test series against England – would prove to be a rude awakening. Kohli struggled, failing to score a single half-century in the series. His 10 innings yielded just 134 runs, with a highest score of 39, and an average of 13.4 in the series.
The England tour was a disaster for Kohli, with his Test average plummeting to 39.47. His struggles continued for a while, but he soon turned things around.
A Stunning Turnaround
Just four months after his struggles in England, Kohli traveled to Australia for a four-Test series. His reputation was on the line. Australia was known for being a challenging tour for Indian batsmen, but Kohli made it his own. In eight innings, he piled up 692 runs at an incredible average of 86.50. This turnaround was nothing short of remarkable.
Kohli’s resurgence was marked by four centuries and a half-century. These standout performances not only salvaged his reputation but also laid the foundation for his future success in Test cricket. The contrast between his performances in England and Australia was stark. In England, he had struggled to find form; in Australia, he was almost untouchable.
Kohli’s ability to bounce back from adversity is a hallmark of his career. It’s a quality that has endeared him to fans and earned him a reputation as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. His legacy serves as a testament to the idea that true greatness is not about being immune to failure, but about how one responds to it.