King of red-ball arena: Revisiting Virat Kohli's most iconic Test knocks

Kohli has played 123 Tests, scoring 9230 runs consisting of 30 centuries and 31 fifties.

The former India captain, revered for his aggressive flair and mental fortitude, took pride in the grind of Test cricket. Be it in spin-friendly conditions at home or on challenging overseas tracks, Kohli never shied away from a battle. His hunger to perform under pressure and take the fight to the opposition made him not just a statistical giant but a symbol of India's transformation into a formidable Test side.

In Johannesburg in 2013, Kohli produced a coming-of-age performance at the Wanderers against South Africa. Facing a bowling lineup that boasted Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, and Morne Morkel, Kohli stroked 119 in the first innings before falling agonizingly short of twin tons with a composed 96 in the second.

India came close to a historic win before the hosts clung on for a draw, but Kohli's ability to tame one of the world's deadliest pace attacks marked him out as a future Test titan.

In 2014, when MS Dhoni was sidelined due to injury in Adelaide, a 26-year-old Kohli was thrust into the role of stand-in skipper for the Adelaide Test against Australia. If there were nerves, they didn't show. He hammered 115 in the first innings, showcasing his full array of strokes on a flat surface, as per the ICC.

It was his counterattacking 141 in the fourth innings chasing an improbable 364 that truly defined his character. Despite wickets tumbling around him, Kohli pressed on, refusing to settle for a draw. His bold leadership and unrelenting intent, even in defeat, heralded the arrival of a new captain with an old-school Test cricket heart.

Back on home soil in 2016, Kohli delivered a monumental knock at the Wankhede in the fourth Test against England. His 235, his highest score in Tests then, was a lesson in concentration, footwork, and sheer determination on a surface that increasingly assisted spin.

With 25 boundaries and a six, Kohli faced 340 balls and held India's innings together, powering them to a mammoth 631. It was his third double-century of the year, an Indian record then, and a performance that helped India seal the series emphatically.

After enduring a dismal tour of England in 2014, Kohli arrived four years later under immense scrutiny. However, in the very first Test of the series, at Edgbaston, he buried those ghosts with a spectacular 149.

Walking in with India wobbling at 54/2 against a relentless attack led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Kohli played with remarkable discipline and aggression. He farmed the strike expertly with the tail, finding boundaries when needed and defending stoically when the situation demanded.

In the second Test of India's tour to South Africa in 2018, Kohli once again stood tall in hostile territory. On a pitch with uneven bounce and lateral movement, against bowlers like Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, and Vernon Philander, Kohli compiled a masterclass 153, nearly half of India's total score of 307.

What made the innings extraordinary was the lack of support; no other Indian batter crossed 50. Kohli's calculated shot selection, coupled with his fight against the conditions, made this one of the grittiest innings of his career, even though it came in a losing cause.

Kohli's career-best Test score was 254 not out, which came during the second Test against South Africa at Pune in 2019. Entering at a solid 136/2, Kohli went on to anchor the innings with supreme control and precision, pacing his knock over more than eight hours.

With 33 boundaries and 2 sixes, he was a wall the Proteas couldn't breach. He batted with a mix of authority and calm, dismantling the opposition attack and guiding India to a formidable 601/5 declared. The innings laid the foundation for a resounding victory by an innings and 137 runs.

Virat Kohli's Test career is a glowing chapter in Indian cricket history. It was never just about the hundreds or averages. It was about the manner in which he carried himself, fierce, focused, and always leading from the front. From inspiring fast bowlers with aggression to instilling a new fitness culture, Kohli transformed the identity of India's red-ball team.

With the bat in hand and the tricolour on his chest, Kohli treated every Test match like a final.