Ranking Virat Kohli’s 7 Test double centuries – only 1 was score outside India
Virat Kohli has confirmed his decision to call time on his Test career, meaning we will no longer see the fearsome former Indian skipper playing in white for his country.
It is a massive loss to the game as Kohli had that something special about him. India has produced plenty of incredible batsmen over the years – greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid are players that spring to mind.
They were technically proficient batters with exceptional concentration. Kohli had all that, but unlike the others, he had an edge. He was more than just a batsman; he was an offensive weapon and an inspirational leader, much like Steve Waugh in his prime.
Writing in his column on BBC Sport former England quick Steve Finn put it nicely, saying: “What I remember most vividly is how keen he was to engage in a battle with us. In age-group cricket, some players are there to score their runs, so they progress through the system. Not Kohli. He was there to win.”
Over the years Kohli played some masterful knocks, ending his career with the fourth most double centuries in Test history—behind only Donald Bradman, Kumar Sangakkara and Brian Lara. Let’s take a moment to look back at his seven sensational double-ton innings.
7. 200 vs West Indies at North Sound (21 July 2016)
Match context: 1st Test, India touring West Indies
After winning the toss and electing to bat first India were looking to send a message and to start the series in dominant fashion. Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara fell early but that is when captain Kohli walked to the crease to join Shikhar Dhawan.
The pair shared a 100-run stand before Dhawan fell with the score on 179. Ajinkya Rahane then joined Kohli and added a handful, but it was when Ravi Ashwin made his way out to the middle that the Kohli really set about taking the game beyond the Windies reach.
The pair shared a 168-run stand for the fifth wicket, which only ended when Kohli got one from Shannon Gabriel that kept low, and he dragged it onto his stumps.
India went on to score 566 for eight before they declared. Ashwin posted 113. It was a solid score, enough to see India to a comfortable win by an innings and 92 runs. Ashwin returned second innings figures of seven for 83.
6. 211 vs New Zealand at Indore (8 October 2016)
Match context: 3rd Test, New Zealand tour of India
At the Holkar Stadium in Indore, India batted first and posted 557/5 declared. Kohli’s 211 off 366 deliveries featured a masterful array of flicks, cover drives and late cuts.
He shared a 365-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane for the fourth wicket, blunting New Zealand’s seam threat and setting up India’s solid first-innings lead. It wasn’t quite enough to enforce the follow-on as India batted again – this time Kohli managed just 17.
But it was a comfortable win for India as they ran out winners by 321 runs.
5. 235 vs England at Mumbai (8 December 2016)
Match context: 3rd Test, England tour of India
England batted first and scored a respectable 400. It looked like they would secure a first innings lead as India found themselves teetering at 364 for seven.
That’s when Kohli, who made a fantastic 235 was joined by off-spinner Jayant Yadav (who made 104), and they proceeded to stitch together a 241-run partnership for the eighth wicket – the seventh highest partnership or the eighth wicket in the history of Test cricket (and an Indian record for the eighth wicket).
Kohli was eventually ninth player out as India reached a total of 631 all out, a score that was enough to see them to an innings and 36 runs victory.
4. 204 vs Bangladesh at Hyderabad (9 February 2017)
Match context: 1st Test, Bangladesh tour of India
At Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Kohli’s 204 saw him building on an impressive second wicket stand between Murali Vijay (108) and Cheteshwar Pujara (83).
Arriving at the wicket with the score on 180 for two Kohli took the bowling apart with a knock of 204 from just 246 balls that saw him find the ropes 24 times.
With additional support from Ajinkya Rahane (82) and Wriddhiman Saha (106), India posted a score of 687 for six, a score that saw them to a win by 208 runs.
3. 213 vs Sri Lanka at Nagpur (24 November 2017)
Match context: 2nd Test, Sri Lanka tour of India
In sweltering Nagpur heat, Kohli produced a masterclass. His 213 off 267 balls was part of an all-out assault on the Sri Lankan bowling.
Kohli scored the double-ton but there were also centuries from Murali Vijay (128), Cheteshwar Pujara (143) and Rohit Sharma (102) as India posted a massive score of 610 for six in response to their opponents first innings score of 205.
It didn’t get any better for Sri Lanka following India’s declaration, they were bundled for 166 as Kohli was named Man-of-the-Match in a convincing win by an innings and 239 runs.
2. 243 vs Sri Lanka at Delhi (2 December 2017)
Match context: 3rd Test, Sri Lanka tour of India
Just days after his performance in Nagpur, Kohli struck again at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. This time he put the Sri Lankans to the sword with a knock of 243 off 287 balls with 25 fours.
A significant part of his knock was in tandem with opener Murali Vijay as the duo shared a stand of 293 for the third wicket. He then added a further 165 runs in partnership with Rohit Sharma as India posted a score of 536 for seven.
The match ended in a draw as Sri Lanka fought back with three centuries of their own (two in the first innings and one in the second). When the game ended India still needed five Sri Lankan wickets for the win.
1. 254 not out vs South Africa at Pune (10 October 2019)
Match context: 2nd Test, South Africa tour of India
This was a tough outing for South Africa as they struggled against an Indian side who won the toss and elected to bat on a track that increasingly favoured the spinners as the game wore on.
Paceman Anrich Nortje was on debut, and he toiled manfully to no avail. Kagiso Rabada managed three wickets, but Kohli was imperious. Aside from Rohit Sharma’s early dismissal for 14, there was little for South Africa to cheer about as all the other Indian batsmen got amongst the runs.
Kohli was the pick as he faced 336 balls for his undefeated 254. At bat, South Africa simply had no answers – Aiden Markram bagged a pair as Keshav Maharaj with a score of 72 was the pick of the Proteas batters.
South Africa was dismissed for scores of 275 and 189 to lose by an innings and 137 runs.
