2017 ICC Champions Trophy
Virat Kohli got the chance to captain in an ICC tournament for the first time in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. In the semi-final against Bangladesh, Kohli scored 96*, thus becoming the fastest batsman, in terms of innings, to reach 8,000 runs in ODIs in 175 innings.[228] In the captaincy of Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket team reached the final, but lost to Pakistan by 180 runs. In the third over of Indian innings, Virat Kohli was dropped in the slips for just five runs but caught the next ball by Shadab Khan at point on the bowling of Mohammad Amir.[229] He was also named as part of the 'Team of the Tournament' at the 2017 Champions Trophy by the ICC.[230]
10,000 runs in ODIs before age of 30
He followed it up with ODI centuries against the West Indies and Sri Lanka in consecutive series, equalling Ricky Ponting's tally of 30 ODI centuries.[231][232][233] In October 2017, he was adjourned the ODI player of the series against New Zealand for scoring two ODI centuries, during the course of which he made a new record for the most runs (8,888), best average (55.55) and highest number of centuries (31) for any batsman when completing 200 ODIs.[234][235] Kohli made several more records during the 3 match Test series against Sri Lanka at home in November. After scoring a century and a double century in the first two Tests, he ended up scoring yet another double century in the third Test, during which he became the eleventh Indian batsman to surpass 5000 runs in Test cricket while scoring his 20th Test century and 6th double century.[236] During this match he also became the first batsman to score six double hundreds as a captain.[237] With 610 runs in the series, Kohli also became the highest run-scorer by an Indian in a three-match Test series and the fourth-highest overall.[238] India comfortably won the three-match series 1–0 and Kohli was adjudged man of the match for the second and third Test matches and player of the series. With this win, India equalled Australia for the record streak of nine consecutive series wins in Test cricket.[239] He ended the year with 2818 international runs, which is recorded as the third-highest tally ever in a calendar year and the highest tally ever by an Indian player.[238] The ICC named Kohli as captain of both their World Test XI and ODI XI for 2017.[240]
Overseas season-including Windies at home
Kohli fared average in the Test matches as India lost 1–2 during the South Africa tour in 2018, but came back strongly to score 558 runs in the 6 ODIs, making a record for the highest runs scored in a bilateral ODI series.[241] This included three centuries, remaining unbeaten in two with a best of 160*.[242] India won the ODI series 5–1, Kohli becoming the first Indian captain to win an ODI series in South Africa.[243]
In March 2018, Kohli decided to play county cricket in England in June, in order to improve his batting before the start of India's tour to England the following month.[244][245] He signed to play for Surrey, but a neck injury ruled him out of his stint in England before it even began.[246] On 2 August, Kohli scored his first Test century on English soil in the first test match of the series against England.[247] On 5 August, Kohli displaced Steve Smith to become the No. 1 ranked Test batsman in the ICC Test rankings. He also became the seventh Indian batsman and first since Sachin Tendulkar in June 2011 to achieve this feat.[248] In the third test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Kohli scored 97 and 103, and helped India win by 203 runs.[249] At the end of 5-match test series, Kohli scored 593 runs, which was third highest runs by an Indian batsman in a losing test series. Kohli's consistent performance in the series against the moving ball when other batsman failed to perform was hailed by British Media as one of his finest. The Guardian describes Kohli's batting display as One of the Greatest batting display in a losing cause.[250][251]
During ODI series against West Indies in 2018, Kohli became the 12th batsman and fastest player to score 10,000 ODI runs.[252] He surpassed the milestone with 205 innings which is 54 innings less than the next quickest to the landmark, Sachin Tendulkar.[253] In the course he scored his 37th ODI century. Kohli's average after crossing 10,000 is 59.62, which is also the best average among the 10,000 club members.[254] On 27 October, after scoring his 38th ODI century, Kohli became the first batsman for India, first captain and tenth overall, to score three successive centuries in ODIs.[255] He ended up scoring 453 runs in 5 innings, at an average of 151.00, in the 5-match series and was the Player of the Series.[256]
On 16 December 2018 in the 2018-2019 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli scored his 25th test hundred in Perth.[257] His knock of 123 was his 6th hundred in three tours to Australia making him the only Indian to score 6 test hundreds in Australia after Sachin Tendulkar. He also became the fastest Indian and second fastest overall (125 innings) to score 25 test hundreds,[258] second only to Donald Bradman (68 innings) which was bettered by Steven Smith during 2019 Ashes (119 innings).[259] Despite the fact that the Pitch was not as quick and bouncy as The WACA due to its drop-in nature it was still a tricky pitch where fast bowlers were getting assistant. Kohli's knock was rated by several analysts and former cricketers as one of his finest against a quality Australian attack.[260][261] Although he broke several records in the game, his innings proved to insufficient as India went down by 146 runs as Australia levelled the series with two tests remaining.[262][263] He had scored 82 in the third test at MCG, in which India won. Overall. he had finished the series with 282 runs at an average of 40.[264] By winning the test series in Australia, he had become the first Indian and also the first Asian skipper to win a test series in Australia. He was again named as captain of both the World Test XI and ODI XI for 2018 by the ICC.[265]
2019 Cricket World Cup
Main article: 2019 Cricket World Cup
In April 2019, he was named the captain of India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[266][267] On 16 June 2019, in India's match against Pakistan, Kohli became the fastest batsman, in terms of innings, to score 11,000 runs in ODI cricket. He reached the landmark in his 222nd innings.[268] Eleven days later, in the match against the West Indies, Kohli became the fastest cricketer, in terms of innings, to score 20,000 runs in international cricket, doing so in his 417th innings.[269] Kohli scored five consecutive fifty plus score in the tournament. India lost the semi-final against New Zealand, in which Kohli was out for just a run.
In October 2019, Kohli captained India for the 50th time in Test cricket, in the second Test against South Africa.[270] In the first innings of the match, Kohli scored an unbeaten 254 runs, passing 7,000 runs in Tests in the process, and became the first batsman for India to score seven double centuries in Test cricket.[271][272] In November 2019, during the day/night Test match against Bangladesh, Kohli became the fastest captain to score 5,000 runs in Test cricket, doing so in his 86th innings.[273] In the same match, he also scored his 70th century in international cricket.[274]
In November 2020, Kohli was nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade, as well as Test, ODI and T20I player of the decade and won two(Male cricketer of the decade and ODI cricketer of the decade).[275][276] Also in November, Kohli played in his 250th ODI match, in the second match against Australia.[277]
Disastrous tour of New Zealand
Main article: Indian cricket team in New Zealand in 2019–20
India toured to New Zealand from January to March 2020 to play 5-match T20 series along with a 3 and 2-match ODI and test series respectively. During the tour, Kohli badly struggled against the moving ball on tricky New Zealand pitches throughout the tour making the tour as his worst ever after the England tour in 2014. During the entire tour he only managed 218 across formats in 12 innings at an average of 19.81 with one half-century during first ODI. This was his lowest aggregate of runs in a tour where he played in all formats. India managed to win the T20I series 5–0, However Kohli-led side was badly hammered during the ODI and Test leg of the tour losing 3-0 and 2-0 respectively. This was also India's first whitewash under Kohli's captaincy.[278][279]
India's tour of Australia and home series versus England
Main article: Indian cricket team in Australia in 2020–21
Main article: English cricket team in India in 2020–21
India travelled to Australia during November 2020 till January 2021 for a long tour. During the ODI Series, Kohli managed to score two half-centuries in three innings with a aggregate of 173 runs at an average of 57.67 despite this India lost the series 2–1. However, India bounced backed strongly and clinch the T20I series 2–1 with Kohli being the highest run scorer in the series for India (134 runs at 44.37). During the first test of the tour played as Day/night match at Adelaide, Kohli scored a fluent 74 before being run out due to a wrong call by his batting partner Ajinkya Rahane,[280] However he only managed 4 runs in next innings where India scrumbled to 36-all out their lowest score in Test cricket history.[281] After the first test, Kohli left the tour on Paternity leave as he was expecting the birth of his first child. He received mixed responses for his decision. Indian batting Great Sunil Gavaskar along with Kapil Dev slammed Kohli for leaving the tour after Indian team lost the first test in Adelaide badly. Gavaskar slammed the double standard of BCCI for Kohli getting the paternity leave while T. Natarajan wasn't allowed for the same.[282][283][284] Despite his absence India managed to clinch the test series 2–1 under able leadership of Stand-in Skipper Ajinkya Rahane. The Daily Telegraph described India's recovery as One of the great comebacks in cricket history.[285]
England tour begin with a long 4-match test series. Kohli struggled to find his best form through the series as he managed 172 runs across 4-test matches at an average of 28.66 with 2 half-centuries and 2 ducks. This was also first time Kohli got out for two ducks in a Test series after his disastrous tour of England in 2014.[286] However, during the second test at Chepauk, Kohli scored a crucial 62 on a Minefield of a pitch which English batting great Geoffrey Boycott described as a Template to bat and score runs on a turning pitch.[287][288]
Kohli got out for a duck again in the first T20I of a 5-match series. However, he found his nick in later matches during the series and ended the series as highest run scorer from both sides with 231 runs which included 3 half-centuries at an exceptional average of 115.50 as India clinched the series 3–2. Kohli was adjudged as Man of the Series for his performances.[289][290] During the second T20I, Kohli became the first ever batsman to complete 3,000 runs in the format.[291]
In the three-match ODI series, Kohli managed 129 runs in 3 innings with 2 half-centuries at an moderate average of 43.00 as India won the series 2–1. During the Second ODI, Kohli became second batsman after Ricky Ponting to score 10,000 runs batting at number 3.[292][293]
World Test Championship Final
Main article: 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final
In June 2021, India lost 2021 ICC World Test Championship Final to New Zealand.[294][295] This was Kohli's third defeat as India captain in knockouts and finals of ICC tournaments.[296][297] Virat Kohli scored 44 and 13 runs in the 1st and 2nd innings respectively.[298]