On what turned out to be the final day in his Test career, Virat Kohli led the side in Sydney as India surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade.

Jasprit Bumrah, the captain in the final Test in Rohit Sharma’s absence, had been sidelined because of back spasms and Kohli was asked to take charge. Call it a quirk of fate but Kohli finished his most-loved format doing what he enjoyed and cherished most. That it ended in a series loss is another story.

The Australians loved Kohli’s spikiness and aggression and the energy he brought into the game. He set lofty standards on the field with his batting and always prodded his teammates to follow suit. It culminated in India’s first Test series win in Australia under his leadership in 2018-19.

If Sourav Ganguly instilled a new wave of aggression and fighting spirit as captain, Kohli induced his street fighter’s instincts which added more of a competitive spark and made his opponents fearful.

India’s most successful Test captain (40 wins in 68 matches) revelled in his role, leading by example and reserving his best for overseas tours. He was never intimidated by the circumstances and was ready to point fingers even at a partisan hostile crowd on foreign shores.

Having succeeded Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the middle of a series in 2014-15,
he showed that he was in no mood to shed his fiesty approach or tone down his ruthless ways.

His captain’s journey had begun by stepping in for Dhoni in the same series in Adelaide when an injury ruled out the regular skipper. Kohli began with twin centuries as India came very close to chasing down a 364-run target.

The way he redefined his batting and learnt from mistakes were unmatchable. He bounced back from a free fall during the tour of England in 2014 with technical adjustments in dealing with the lateral movement outside the off stump. During a formidable comeback series in 2018, he tamed the fearsome duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad finishing with 593 runs, including two hundreds, at an average of 59.30.

Kohli’s captaincy was not just about batting and aggression. He formed a distinct pairing with Ravi Shastri as cricket manager and their relentless pursuit of excellence added a new dimension to the game.

He was a demanding, fierce and in-your-face kind of captain. He knew the only way to bring success overseas was through fast bowlers and formed a fiery bunch who could bowl in excess of 140kmph and send rival batters flinching for cover. That Jasprit Bumrah burst onto the scene at the same time was a blessing.

In an interview with Mike Atherton, Shastri had said he had seen “an uncut diamond” in Kohli. “I told him very early: watch, observe and be ready for it,” Shastri said. “Kohli was fully engaged with Test cricket. He was passionate. He was prepared to do the hard yards and was prepared to play tough cricket, which fitted my way of thinking.”

It showed in India’s success as they attained the No. 1 ranking and stayed at the pinnacle for 42 consecutive months.

Kohli redefined fitness and introduced the Yo-Yo test for the players. It became a key component and showed in the high fielding standards and running between the wickets.

Kohli and Rohit Sharma are an addition to a long list of Indians when poor form Down Under hastened their downfall. Both Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman played their last Test in Adelaide in the 2011-12 series before being pushed into retirement.

Two of India’s greatest in the post-Fab Five era, have left the format silently without an opportunity to celebrate with a farewell game. There will be no guard of honour,
no moist eyes or no fan frenzy to see them one last time in a Test.

In times of strife, when Test cricket’s identity is in a crisis Kohli was the heartbeat and soul of the game. He had the ability to draw spectators to the stadium and his absence from the forthcoming five-Test tour will leave the England Board worried about the footfall.

Kohli was the poster boy of Test cricket. His staggering standards will be hard to replicate for generations to come.

An image of Kohli patting Ravichandran Ashwin before locking him in an embrace in a show of mutual trust and respect in the dressing room balcony before the off-spinner announced his retirement in Brisbane will remain endeared in our memory. Sadly, there was none to offer Kohli that comfort as he stepped away from the limelight in whites.