5 Indian Players Whose Careers Flourished Under Virat Kohli’s Captaincy

In the longest format of the game, captains play a vital role in bringing out the best in every player and helping them flourish in their careers. Over the years, many great captains have created dominance among their players.

Under Virat Kohli, India displayed the same power with two successive Test series victories down under.

The architect of this was the Delhi-born. When MS Dhoni stepped down from the longest format after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 2014, India was down at number seven in the ranking.

But since then, they have gone to the top of the three and created history, being the runners-up of the WTC cycles on both occasions.

Here are 5 Indian players whose careers flourished under Virat Kohli’s captaincy

1. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin debuted under Dhoni in 2011 against the West Indies before he gained more success under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. The off-spinner picked up 293 Test wickets in 56 games under Kohli and has contributed to a win percentage of 57.55.

Even with the bat, when the national side struggled with the bat, the Tamil Nadu all-rounder has stood up in the lower middle order.

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In various interviews, Ashwin spoke about how Virat has helped him to get so many wickets with attacking field placements. Their bond was visible when he hugged the experienced batter moments before announcing his red-ball retirement.

2. Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja played only 12 Tests under Dhoni before getting his the Test success under Virat Kohli. The left-handed all-rounder smashed 1613 runs in his guidance during 59 innings at an average of 37.51 and a strike rate of 60, shouldering 13 fifties and one century.

With the ball, he picked up 165 scalps in 77 innings at an average of below 25, thanks to seven five-wicket hauls.

Jadeja was mostly a bowler at the beginning of his career. However, under Kohli, Jadeja raised his skills with the bat and contributed with the lower-order runs most times.

3. Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane was young and was part of only 12 Tests under Dhoni. In Virat Kohli’s captaincy, the right-handed batter smashed 3550 runs in 104 innings at an average of 36.97 and a strike rate of 47, thanks to 19 half-centuries and eight centuries at the best score of 188 runs.

Rahane and Kohli’s partnerships have helped the national side win a lot of games in the past.

Both of them were incredibly fast between the wickets, with full trust in each other’s understanding of the game. In Kohli’s rare absences, Rahane led the team fabulously.

4. KL Rahul

The Indian wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul’s early Test success came at the start of his career. Under Virat Kohli, the right-handed batter has notched up 2320 runs in 67 innings at an average of 35.15 and a strike rate of 52.70, thanks to seven centuries and nine fifties at the best score of 199 runs.

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Rahul got the chance to open the innings for India in Kohli’s captaincy. That was the start of him cementing his position, not only in the five-day form but across the three formats.

5. Mohammed Shami

In his first 10 Tests, the Bengal pacer had an average of over 36. But Virat Kohli’s captaincy flourished Mohammed Shami’s career.

The right-arm pacer earned 168 wickets in 87 innings at an average of 24.82 and a strike rate of 47, shouldering five five-wicket hauls.

Shami’s biggest contribution to the national side was with the old ball, thanks to the reverse swing. Kohli’s intense nature in the field also brought out the best in the pacer.