At just 29, Virat Kohli has scored over 50 international centuries, but when it comes to picking the best of the lot, the India skipper fancies the 141-run innings he played against Australia in 2014 in Adelaide when he was leading the side in the absence of the injured MS Dhoni.
It was the first match of the five-Test series and India were firmly on the back foot after centuries from David Warner, Michael Clarke and Steven Smith had propelled the hosts to a mammoth 517 for seven declared.
Kohli, however, led from the front, scoring a sublime 115 before the visitors were all out for 444, a commendable effort considering India’s overseas performances in recent past and the absence of their talismanic skipper Dhoni.
Australia went on to score 290 in the second innings to set India an improbable target of 364 on the final day of the game. However, Kohli & Co. were not ready to throw in the towel yet and were looking well destined to chase down the total after Murali Vijay and Kohli added 185-run for the third wicket.
However, Vijay’s dismissal for 99 opened the floodgates, and India kept on losing wickets at regular intervals from one end. Kohli tried his best and scored a sublime 141 before dismissed by Nathan Lyon who took seven wickets in the innings, as India were all out for 315.
Recalling the knock while speaking at a recent award ceremony, Kohli said:
“I think from the transition point of view, the hundred in the second innings at the Adelaide Test where we almost won the match was something special to me. I will always remember that match.”
“Instinctively from my heart, it came to me that I should speak to the team. I had a chat with the players at the team bus after fourth day’s play, and Australia had not declared their innings. I told them whatever target they give us tomorrow; we will go for it,” he recalled.
Kohli said the loss was disappointing for the team but the effort in the second innings had given the team the much-needed belief. The 29-year old, who is yet to lose a Test series since becoming the full-time skipper, went on to say the attitude that came in the team after the Adelaide Test has played a pivotal role in the world number one side’s consistent performances in the last couple of years.
“Nobody objected, and then I told them to go to their rooms with the thought that we are going for the target tomorrow,” said Kohli.
“We came out (on the fifth day) thinking that we can do it (win). I was convinced that we can win the match. Not crossing the line hurt us but what we did as a team has given us a lot of belief that we can compete with any team in the world and beat anyone anywhere. We carried forward that attitude, and now we are here,” he added.
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