Virat Kohli’s career has been defined by milestones and record-setting moments, and his latest landmark came when he became the first Indian batter to reach 14,000 runs in T20 cricket. Yet even with the IPL continuing to showcase Kohli at his best for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a large section of fans still regard his most memorable stretch as India’s Test captain. Add his impact in the longest format and his leadership on the Test stage, and it reads like a trip back to a particularly proud period for Indian cricket.
Just three days after the first anniversary of Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, he sat down for a frank conversation. Looking back on the “golden era” of Indian Tests, Kohli also spoke about what he believes powered the rise of a young side into the No. 1 team in the ICC Test rankings for five straight years, from 2016 to 2021.
Recalling the chance to play Tests for so long and to lead India through a run of memorable wins, Kohli said the group had a shared hunger to represent the country in the format. He noted that the squad felt unusually unified, with little sign of division between senior players and those coming through, largely because many of the younger members had already learned from playing alongside experienced teammates. “We were a bunch of young guys who simply wanted to play Test cricket for India, and suddenly we had the opportunity of a lifetime,” Kohli said, with a warm smile while speaking on the RCB Podcast, Life in Cricket.
He also described how responsibility was widely shared within the team. While he acknowledged that the leadership group had a direction for how the unit wanted to move forward, Kohli felt the age profile of the squad created a sense of ownership across the dressing room. “It was never a case of thinking, ‘These guys will take care of the team and we just have to follow.’ Everyone felt invested in building a team that could dominate for the next six, seven or eight years,” he said. Kohli added that players regularly asked themselves what they could do to raise the team’s level, rather than waiting for instructions.
Kohli’s view on unity during his Test captaincy
Kohli pointed to togetherness as a key ingredient behind India’s standout Test period under his leadership, a stretch that featured the historic 2018-19 series triumph in Australia—India’s first Test series win on Australian soil. In his view, the leadership approach ensured that every individual felt accountable, helping him become one of the most successful captains in the format’s modern era. Between 2014 and 2022, he guided India to 40 victories in 68 Tests, translating into a win rate close to 60%. He also highlighted how difficult it became for visiting teams to beat India at home, with the side winning 11 consecutive home Test series during his tenure.
Beyond results, Kohli explained how he tried to shape a winning mindset inside the dressing room, making sure everyone was working toward the same bigger goal. He also spoke about giving backing to emerging fast bowlers—specifically Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj—who have gone on to become central figures in India’s Test bowling attack.
In describing the way information and decision-making were handled, Kohli said the environment encouraged players to contribute ideas. He referenced how team discussions covered everything from practice-session inputs to how communication was carried out in matches, and even how talks were structured before starting a series or before a game. “We encouraged people to share ideas, to tell us what they feel like we can add to practice sessions, or the way we go about communicating on the field, or what we say before we go to play a series, or how we talk before a game, the meetings, the information shared. All kinds of things,” he said. “We took everyone’s ideas on board.”
He then explained his own approach to bowling plans and on-field execution. “My default way of operation was, I throw the ball to the guy and say, I have plan B, C, and D ready. But plan A is yours, and I want you to hold that ball, knowing that I have set the field. Because the ball is coming out of your hand, it’s not coming out of mine. If it doesn’t work, I’m here,” Kohli added. He said this method helped players develop their own understanding of match-ups, including how they should set up batters and prepare for different scenarios. “It actually helps you to think, and then that grows your own perspective of the game, and how you can plan for different things,” he concluded.
Kohli has left a lasting mark on Indian Test cricket, but there remains an unanswered “if” surrounding how complete his captaincy legacy could feel. India could not cap the dominant phase with an ICC trophy after losing to New Zealand in the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021. Still, with time, his leadership may well be remembered as the period when Indian Test cricket reached a peak.
