As murmurs grow louder about the possible end of Virat Kohli’s illustrious Test career, following his reported conversation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after a disappointing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, cricket fans and pundits are taking a moment to reflect on the legacy of one of India’s finest red-ball batters.
While Kohli, now 36, continues to dazzle in white-ball cricket — recently spearheading India to another ICC Champions Trophy win and dominating the ongoing Indian Premier League — his Test future hangs in the balance. If the whispers are to be believed, Kohli’s last act in whites may have already played out under the harsh Australian sun, ending with a pained expression and a familiar dismissal off Scott Boland’s probing line outside off stump.
Kohli’s Test journey is deeply intertwined with his performances in Australia — a country that saw his transformation from a raw, promising youngster to one of the most feared batters in world cricket. Here’s a look at how the Australian tours shaped, tested, and eventually reflected Kohli’s Test career arc.
2011-12: Coming of Age Amidst the Legends
A 23-year-old Kohli landed in Australia with his place still under scrutiny. Surrounded by the twilight of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, Kohli’s first two Tests yielded just 32 runs. But he came alive in Perth with gritty scores of 44 and 75, and then stamped his arrival with a sublime maiden Test century at Adelaide — India’s lone bright spot in an otherwise humiliating 4-0 whitewash.
2014-15: The Birth of a Leader and a Run Machine
With MS Dhoni stepping down mid-series, Kohli took the reins and rewrote his narrative in style. His twin tons in Adelaide, a series aggregate of 692 runs, and an average of 86.50 made it one of the finest performances by an Indian in Australia. Kohli not only won hearts but also laid the foundation for a new, aggressive India. His fearlessness against pace and bounce silenced critics and marked the rise of a modern-day great.
2018-19: Victory on Foreign Soil
Kohli returned in 2018 not just as India’s captain, but as the architect of a dream — to conquer Australia. While he didn’t match his previous run-haul, his 123 in Perth on a lively pitch remains a masterpiece. More importantly, he led India to a historic first-ever Test series win in Australia, a 2-1 triumph that symbolized a shift in power and confidence for Indian cricket abroad.
2020-21: A Brief Return and a Dramatic Exit
In 2020, Kohli’s Test campaign was cut short after the first Test in Adelaide, where he scored 74 before India’s infamous collapse to 36 all out. He left the tour to be with his wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their child — a decision that opened the door for Ajinkya Rahane to lead a depleted side to an unforgettable series win, often seen as one of India’s greatest comebacks.
2024-25: The Beginning of the End?
Fans hoped for a fairytale finish when Kohli smashed a century at Perth early in the latest series. But that joy was fleeting. Paceman Scott Boland exposed Kohli’s long-known weakness outside off stump, dismissing him four times in nine innings. Kohli managed just 190 runs at an average of 23.75, far removed from his prime. His final walk back — visibly frustrated, muttering to himself — may have been the curtain call on a glittering Test career.
If this indeed marks the end of Kohli’s journey in whites, his legacy is more than secure. Over 9,200 Test runs, 30 centuries, and countless moments of defiance and brilliance across challenging conditions make him one of India’s all-time greats. His aggression, intensity, and unrelenting hunger changed the way India played Test cricket — and how the world viewed Indian cricketers overseas.
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