Published 16:46 IST, June 30th 2020
Virat Kohli terms emotional 2014 Adelaide Test as 'making of India's Test team today'
Virat Kohli took to Instagram to recall the memories of the Adelaide Test match between India and Australia in 2014 and called it an important milestone.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Team India's performances away from home in the longest format of the game have certainly improved under the leadership of Virat Kohli. The 31-year-old has led the team with panache as India has dominated the oppositions almost everywhere in the world. It all started in 2014 during India's tour Down Under after MS Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect as Virat Kohli took over.
Virat Kohli centuries: Kohli calls 2014 Adelaide Test 'important milestone in India's success in Test cricket'
In the first Test, MS Dhoni had been rested as he was recovering from a previous injury which meant Virat Kohli had to lead the Indian team in Adelaide against the mighty Aussies. It was Virat Kohli's first game as captain in Tests. On Tuesday, Virat Kohli took to Instagram to recall the memories of the Adelaide Test match between India and Australia in 2014.
Virat Kohli called the Adelaide Test it as an important milestone in India's journey to becoming a successful Test team. Virat Kohli opined that the game which was filled with emotions on both sides taught the Indian team a lot despite the visitors failing to beat the hosts. Nonetheless, it was a special game for Virat Kohli, who scored twin centuries and had also received a standing ovation from the crowd.
The match till date is predominantly remembered for the Kohli Adelaide hundreds, as the Indian captain's love affair with the ground continued. In fact, there are 3 Kohli Adelaide hundreds so far, as the other one was the first amongst all Virat Kohli centuries in Test cricket, coming in 2012.
India ended up losing the game by 48 runs after a valiant effort against the mighty Aussie bowling line-up at the Adelaide Oval. Captain Virat Kohli led from the front by scoring centuries in both innings of the game but could not to steer India home after failing to find decent support from the other end.
Australia may have won the game as a perfect tribute to the late Phil Hughes, the Kohli Adelaide hundreds also proved that captaincy is not an additional responsibility for the premier batsman as there were plenty of Virat Kohli centuries to come in all parts of the world.
India went on to lose the four-match series 0-2. However, the Indian team redeemed themselves just four years later, in 2018/19. On that instance, Team India created history as it became the first Asian team to register a Test series win Down Under under Virat Kohli's captaincy by defeating Tim Paine’s side 2-1. The Indian team is set to tour Australia again where they will compete in the T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs starting October 11.
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IMAGE COURTESY: VIRAT KOHLI INSTAGRAM
Updated 16:47 IST, June 30th 2020