Virat Kohli shocked the cricketing world by announcing that he will be resigning as India's captain in Test match cricket. The announcement came a day after India's 1-2 loss in the Test series against South Africa earlier this week.
Virat Kohli's decision is a sudden one but he leaves the job as India's most successful Test captain. Captain Kohli has led India to 40 victories in 68 Tests.
Kohli also holds the record for most Test matches as an Indian captain (68). He has also racked up the highest number of wins in the format for the country (40).
His other records include the most wins at home (24), the most Test centuries for India as captain (20), and the most double centuries (7) as well. Since taking over the captaincy from MS Dhoni in 2014, Kohli has led India to numerous Test series wins.
His passion, aggression, and hunger for a win even in adverse situations has handed India some memorable series victories over the years.
#3 Sri Lanka, 2015 (2-1): Virat Kohli lays the foundation
India's tour of Sri Lanka in 2015 was Kohli's first Test series as full-time red-ball captain. That Indian side was far from its best, with many legends retiring from the game in the years leading up to the series.
The new Indian skipper faced an early challenge in the series after losing to Sri Lanka at Galle. Chasing a mere 176, Rangana Herath spun a web around the Indian batting lineup.
But India came back from the loss and dominated the next two matches to win the series 2-1. It was India's first series win in Sri Lanka in 22 years and their first away series win in four years.
The Indian bowling attack started taking shape under him as they claimed all 60 Sri Lankan wickets in the series. The series laid the foundation stone for India's success in Test cricket over the next seven years.
#2 Australia, 2017 (2-1): Great end to India's great home season
When Australia came to India in 2017, everyone expected an intense series between two giants of the game. Australia dominated the early proceedings by spinning India out on a turning Pune track in the first Test. Steve O'Keefe was the destroyer-in-chief, helping the Aussies take an early 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
Team India was calculated, patient, and dominant in the next three matches. They successfully defended 188 in the second Test, with Jadeja and Ashwin troubling the Australian batting.
They held Australia to a draw in the next Test thanks to Pujara's double century and took the series into the decider. Then in the final Test, Jadeja's all-round performance kept Australia out of the contest, giving India the perfect finish to the home season.
Although Kohli missed the final Test with a shoulder injury, he and Rahane were instrumental in their decisive strategy throughout the series.
#1 Australia, 2018-19 (2-1): Cementing the legacy
India traveled to Australia in 2018 with only one target on their mind - winning a Test series in Australia. The team, with their skipper standing front and center, ignored all the external comments, the boos in the stadium, and concentrated on their dream of winning in Australia.
It was one of India's greatest Test series victories away from home, in which all the players stepped up and took charge at various stages. Pujara set the tone with a century in the first Test and Kohli silenced his critics in the second.
Jasprit Bumrah confused the Australians with his great variety and innovation in the third Test. India even enforced the follow-on in the final Test, the first time in 31 years for Australia in Australia.
The Test series cemented India's place as a force to be reckoned with. It proved their mettle as one of the best Test teams to travel to SENA countries.
Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news