Virat Kohli’s 5 best innings in Tests

Virat Kohli in Pune Test against SA - 2019 (Source: AFP)

Modern-day batting great, Virat Kohli, left everyone in shock with his sudden Test retirement on May 12, 2025. The modern master hung his boots in the longest format of the game, with 9,230 runs in 210 Test innings across the 123 games that he played. He also scored 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his illustrious 14-year-long Test career. 

Besides that, Kohli’s glorious Test career also includes the tag of ‘India’s most successful captain’ to his name. He also left a long-lasting impact on India’s legacy of Test batting, with some of his impactful performances with the bat. Hence, here’s a look at Virat Kohli’s five best innings he played for India in Tests. 

Virat Kohli’s five best innings in Tests

254* against South Africa - Pune Test 2019

India were facing South Africa in the second Test of the three-match home series in October 2019. The hosts’ skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to bat first. Kohli came into the middle after India lost two wickets at the score of 163 runs in the second session. 

After Mayank Agarwal’s 108-run knock, captain Kohli himself took charge of India's batting attack. He went to play an unbeaten knock of 254 runs off 336 balls, with 33 fours and two sixes. It was also his Test career’s seventh double ton. Kohli's double century helped India post a mammoth total of 601 runs for the loss of five wickets before declaring their first innings. 

Eventually, India forced SA to follow-on and bundled them out at the scores of 275 and 189 runs, respectively. Virat Kohli’s men won the game by a significant margin of an innings and 137 runs, with the captain himself winning the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

115 and 141 against Australia - Adelaide Test 2014

The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014 in Australia was the 30th Test of Virat Kohli’s career and his first as India’s Test captain, though in a stand-in role. He left everyone awestruck with his exemplary batting outings in both the innings of his first Test as captain. 

Australia had posted a massive first-innings total of 517 runs for the loss of seven wickets before declaration. Kohli’s 115-run knock, supported by Cheteshwar Pujara (73) and Ajinkya Rahane (62), helped India respond with a 444-run total in the first innings. 

Later in the second innings, the Aussies posted a target of 364 runs for India. Virat Kohli found himself fighting alone with a 141-run knock, without enough support from the other end, except for Murali Vijay’s 99-run knock. Eventually, the skipper's batting heroics couldn’t avoid the 48-run defeat for India. 

153 against South Africa - Centurion Test 2018

After facing a 72-run defeat in the first Test in Cape Town, India took on South Africa in the second Test of the three-match series in 2018. The then-Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and asked his batters to take charge. The hosts posted a total of 335 runs in the first innings. 

India’s response to SA’s 335-run total entirely revolved around Virat Kohli’s 153-run knock, which helped the side post 307 runs. However, the visitors lost this game by a massive margin of 135 runs owing to the batting collapse during the run chase

149 and 51 against England - Birmingham Test 2018 

India and England were facing off in the first Test of the five-match series in 2018. The series opener was played at the Edgbaston in Birmingham. The hosts’ skipper Joe Root won the toss and opted to bat first. The Three Lions were bundled out at the score of 287 runs in the first innings. 

Furthermore, this game was one of those Tests when India’s response was led solely by captain Virat Kohli. He scored 149 runs in the first innings, more than half of India’s 274-run total. Later in the second innings, England posted a target of 194 runs for India. 

Once again, it was Kohli who displayed resilience in this harrowing run chase, with his 51-run knock. Despite his efforts, India fell short of the target by 32 runs, as they were bundled out at a total of 162 runs, losing the game by 31 runs.

54 and 41 against South Africa - Johannesburg Test 2018

It was the same three-match Test series between India and South Africa, in which Virat Kohli’s 153-run knock ended up on the losing side in the second Test in Centurion. However, Kohli played another gritty knock, which has been discussed much less, if it's about the impact of that knock. 

Kohli’s 54-run knock in the first innings helped India post a 187-run total amidst a middle-order collapse. Furthermore, the Proteas were bundled out at the score of 194 runs in their first innings before India scored 247 (including Kohli’s 41 runs in the second innings) and posted a 241-run target. 

Eventually, the visitors wrapped up the SA innings at 177 runs to win the game by 63 runs and avoid a whitewash in the three-match series.