'Virat Kohli, the greatest Test captain ever'

Former cricketer Anirudha Srikkanth showers praise on Virat Kohli's captaincy, says ‘That is the reason we could win Tests outside India’

Former Tamil Nadu and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) cricketer Anirudha Srikkanth heaped praise on talisman batter Virat Kohli's captaincy and said that he was the reason why India could win Tests outside home soil.

Right from his international debut in 2008, Virat has represented India in 118 matches, scoring 9,040 runs at an average of 47.83 with 29 centuries and 31 fifties to his name and a best score of 254*. He is the fourth-highest run-getter and century-maker for India in Tests.

Virat's Test career has witnessed plenty of ups and downs. His form from 2016-2019 is among the greatest peaks in the longest format, having made 4,208 runs in 43 Tests and 69 innings at an average of 66.79, with 16 centuries and 10 fifties.

It was during this period he smashed seven double centuries, the most by a captain in Tests, a record which still stands.

Virat, the Test captain, remains one of the biggest ambassadors for the long format. India's most successful Test captain ever, he led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests, losing just 17 and drawing 11. His win percentage stood at above 58.

His impact as a Test captain goes beyond the numbers. Development of a highly strict, no-nonsense fitness culture, hunger to win, a never-say-die attitude, a number of landmark overseas wins and development of a huge bench strength of fast bowlers contributed to India's streak of three ICC World Test Championship (WTC) mace wins from 2017-19 and their qualification for WTC final in 2021 and 2023 when it was turned into a full-fledged league competition.

Anirudha said that Kohli's Test captaincy is amazing. He added that the 36-year-old trusts a lot of his fast bowlers which helps the seamers to deliver at 140 kph.

"I think Virat Kohli's Test captaincy is amazing. He trusts a lot of his fast bowlers. He ensured we had fast bowlers like Shami, Bumrah, Umesh Yadav who could bowl at 140 kph. That is the reason we could win Tests outside India," Anirudha Srikkanth said on Sony Sports Network's new Tamil Cricket Podcast - Cricket Petta.

He was also a fine ODI captain, having won 65 out of 95 ODIs he led the team in, losing 27 and tying one. He took the team to a runners-up finish in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and the semifinal of the 50-over World Cup in 2019.

In 295 ODIs, Kohli scored 13906 runs at a strike rate of 93.54. He also had an average of 58.18. Meanwhile, the India talisman had played 125 T20I matches for the Men in Blue and scored 4188 runs from 137.04.