Virat Kohli, the renowned Indian cricketer, needs no introduction. He’s not just a cricketing sensation; he’s also a former captain of the Indian cricket team, having led the squad in an impressive 213 international matches across all formats.
When it comes to Test cricket, Virat Kohli boasts an absolutely stellar captaincy record. His leadership skills truly shone through in the longest format of the game.
Kohli captained the Indian team in 68 Test matches, emerging victorious in a remarkable 40 of them. This achievement cements his position as the most successful Indian Test captain to date.
In this article, we delve deep into Virat Kohli’s captaincy journey in Test cricket. We’ve meticulously analyzed his performance as a skipper and compiled insightful tables showcasing his Test captaincy records against different opponents. We’ve also taken a close look at his record on home turf and his exploits overseas.
For all you cricket aficionados out there, this article is a treasure trove of stats and insights into the captaincy legacy of Virat Kohli in the world of Test cricket.
Virat Kohli as Captain in Test Cricket
Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Win% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
68 | 40 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 58.82 |
Click here to compare and analyse other Captains’ records
By Opponents
Opponents | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Win% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | 18 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 55.56 |
South Africa | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 66.67 |
Australia | 10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 30.00 |
Sri Lanka | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 66.67 |
West Indies | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 75.00 |
New Zealand | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 57.14 |
Bangladesh | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 75.00 |
Total | 68 | 40 | 17 | 0 | 11 | 58.82 |
By Home and Away
Venue | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | Win% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home | 31 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 77.41 |
Away | 36 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 44.44 |
Neutral | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Virat’s Innings Victories as Captain

Key Insights – Decoding Virat Kohli’s Test Captaincy
40: Virat Kohli stands alone as the Asian captain with the highest number of victories, having achieved an impressive 40 wins.
4: Virat Kohli ranks as the fourth most successful captain in terms of total victories, securing an impressive 40 wins. He follows the esteemed trio of Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh in this regard.
77.41: As captain, Virat Kohli boasts the highest home Test win percentage, an impressive 77.41%.
12: Team India, under his captaincy, has achieved the remarkable feat away from home by securing the highest number of away wins (12) with a margin of 100 or more runs.
20: As a captain, he notched up an impressive total of 20 test centuries, a record achievement during the decade spanning from 2010 to 2020.
During his tenure as captain, India reached the final of the inaugural World Test Championship, where they competed against New Zealand.