New Delhi:
The Pune Test has been a match for world records for Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team. Kohli set the ball rolling by blasting 254*, his highest individual score in Tests. This was his seventh double ton, breaking the record for most double tons by an Indian in the longest format. Kohli also went past 1000 runs against the Proteas and 7000 in Tests while he notched up his 19th century as a skipper, equalling Australia skipper Ricky Ponting's mark. The win Pune was his 30th as skipper but it also set a new world record for the Indian cricket team as well.
The win for India was their 11th straight win at home, breaking the record of 10 set by Australia in 2000 and 2008. This was also Kohli's 13th series win as a skipper, breaking the record set by MS Dhoni who had 12 series win in his tenure. What is interesting is that Kohli has been at the helm of Tests full time since 2015 and he has already broken the record.
India have had an enviable winning streak at home. Their last loss was in 2012 against England when they were overwhelmed 1-2 thanks to Alastair Cook's magnificent three centuries in the series and a match-winning knock by Kevin Pietersen in Mumbai. They were backed by superb spin bowling from Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann. However, since that loss, India have hardly lost a match at home, let alone a series.
India's streak began in 2013 when they whitewashed Australia 4-0 to take revenge on their drubbing by a similar margin in 2011/12. India then whitewashed the West Indies 2-0 in what was Sachin Tendulkar's last international series. In the 2015 series against South Africa, India secured their best margin of victory against the Proteas by winning the four-match series 3-0, with one Test in Bangalore being washed out due to rain.
The 2016/17 season saw Kohli and the Indian cricket team scale new heights. They whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 and won the five-match series against England 4-0. After beating Bangladesh in the one-off Test, Kohli squared off against Australia in what was a closely fought series. In his entire captaincy period at home, Kohli suffered his only defeat when India were thrashed by 333 runs in Pune.
Following the match, India bounced back brilliantly to win the Bangalore Test and Australia held out for a tense draw in Ranchi. However, India sealed the series in Dharamshala and with the win, they had secured series wins and trophies of all nine other Test playing nations. India continued their domination in 2017 by beating Sri Lanka 1-0 and thrashing Afghanistan in two days in the Bangalore Test. After whitewashing the West Indies again, India have won the series against South Africa by winning Tests in Vizag and Pune.
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Thus, in his entire captaincy period at home, Kohli has won 19 matches and lost just one while there have been five draws. India under Kohli is rewriting the history books when it comes to home domination.
