Virat Kohli birthday: 5 best Indian wins under his captaincy

One of the greatest batters the sport has seen, Virat Kohli boasts an unquestionable legacy, as his dominance across formats can vouch for. The Delhi-born batter has smashed records for fun over the years and continues to do so today.

He was also at the helm of the Indian team for a number of years across formats, taking them to unprecedented heights in Test cricket in particular. Apart from stepping in when MS Dhoni was absent or injured, Kohli led the Indian team across formats on a permanent basis for close to five years, while leading the Test set-up for seven years.

He remains the most successful Indian captain in Test cricket with 40 wins in 68 games. India have also won 65 out of 95 ODIs and 30 (apart from two Super Over wins) in 50 T20Is under his captaincy.

Kohli no longer captains the national setup but continues to play in all formats under Rohit Sharma. As 'King Kohli' turns 34 on Saturday, November 5, let us look back at India's most memorable wins under his captaincy across formats.

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#5 Super Over win over New Zealand in Hamilton, 2020

Leading the five-match T20I series 2-0, India had a chance to take an unassailable 3-0 lead against New Zealand in 2020 when the caravan reached Hamilton. The visitors scored 179/5 thanks to Rohit's 65 and cameos from skipper Kohli and KL Rahul.

In response, Kane Williamson bossed the chase and put the Kiwis on course for a win. With nine required off the final over, a Ross Taylor six all but sealed the contest, only for Mohammad Shami to hold his nerve and prize out Williamson for 95. He then fired a yorker off the last delivery to castle Taylor and took the match to a Super Over.

Willamson then ensured that the Blackcaps scored 17 off Jasprit Bumrah. In response, with 10 required off the last two deliveries, Rohit clubbed Tim Southee for consecutive sixes to seal the series as the Men in Blue charged onto the ground in celebration.

Incidentally, the following match too ended in a tie before Kohli sealed the deal for India in the Super Over.

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#4 Beating South Africa in Centurion, 2018

India had never beaten South Africa in an ODI series in their own territory but things took a turn for the better in 2018. The Kohli-led side were 2-0 up heading into the third game of the six-match series in Centurion and the skipper was at the forefront of it with a blistering unbeaten 160.

Despite Rohit falling for a duck in the first over, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan stitched together a 140-run stand before a collapse reduced the visitors to 236/6. All Bhuvneshwar Kumar had to do was watch as the skipper tore into the Proteas seamers to power India to 303/6.

Thereafter, the duo of KulCha - Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal - broke the back of the South African batting unit and cut it to size. The duo snared eight wickets between them to bundle them out for 179. India would go on to clinch a historic 5-1 series win and this contest, orchestrated by their skipper, went a long way in setting it up.

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#3 Adelaide Test of 2018

Kohli became the first Asian captain to seal a Test series victory on Australian soil during the 2018-19 tour.

It's no surprise that Kohli's golden years as captain coincided with some historic and memorable conquests in Test cricket. The Indian team reached Australian shores in 2018 and for the first time were dubbed favorites, with the hosts wearing a depleted look on the batting front.

The opening Test in Adelaide saw Cheteshwar Pujara score a century in the first innings to put the visitors in front before the Indian bowlers gave them a 15-run lead. Pujara top-scored with 71 in the second essay as well and despite a late collapse, India set the hosts a target of 323.

The Aussies fought hard despite being reduced to 115/5, with skipper Tim Paine and the tail wagging to take it close. Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon threatened to pull off the unthinkable, but the visitors held their nerve to script a famous 31-run victory.

Despite taking a hammering in the Perth Test, Kohli and Co. stormed back to win the Melbourne Test before a draw in Sydney handed them their first Test series victory on Australian soil.

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#2 Johannesburg Test of 2018

Rewind the clock to January 2018 and the Indian team led by Kohli in South Africa. Having surrendered the series 2-0, they entered the Wanderers in Johannesburg in a bid to avoid a whitewash.

It was a perilous surface that they encountered with a lot of uneven bounce on offer. So much so that conditions seemed quite dangerous for a batter on that track. Yet, India went about their business without a fuss in a low-scoring thriller.

Fifties from Kohli and Pujara in the first innings were followed by a collapse that saw India restricted to 187. Bumrah's five-fer then routed the Proteas for 180, before the visitors' team management took the enterprising route of opening the innings with Parthiv Patel as a pinch-hitter. Kohli then scored 41 and Ajinkya Rahane top-scored with 48 as the track started to wear a dangerous look.

The visitors didn't hold back though. Despite Dean Elgar carrying his bat, Shami bagged five wickets to rattle the hosts and script a 63-run victory - India's third in the rainbow nation. It was the perfect insight into the fearless and aggressive brand of cricket to come under Kohli in the longest format.

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#1 Lord's Test in 2021

A come-from-behind win like none other, India scripted a famous win at Lord's during their tour of England in 2021. KL Rahul wrote his name on the honors board with a sublime century before Joe Root did the same with a stunning unbeaten 180 to give the hosts a 27-run first-innings lead.

England were on top of the contest on the fourth day before a dogged 100-run partnership between Pujara and Rahane restored a semblance of parity. However, at 209/8 on the fifth morning, the tourists found themselves on the back foot again.

What followed was a sight to behold - Shami and Bumrah launched a counter-attack as England lost the plot with a barrage of short deliveries. India then declared to set a target of 272 and with under 10 overs to go in the day, their bowlers skittled the hosts out for 120 to wrap up a historic win.

"For 60 overs, they should feel hell out there" - that was Kohli's message to his team as they set out to bowl England out in the fourth innings. An attacking captain like no other, it was a reflection of his fearless approach at the helm of India's Test set-up.

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What is your most memorable moment of Virat Kohli as India's captain? Let us know in the comments section below!

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