The 2014 Adelaide Test between Australia and India was the first assignment for Virat Kohli as India’s captain. Kohli played two of his best Test knocks and almost pulled off an unprecedented triumph. The right-hander scored 115 runs in the first dig and followed it with another masterpiece of 141 runs in the second essay.
In fact, India felt short by only 48 runs in the end but Kohli had announced himself as the captain. The right-hander went on to show that he will always choose to win if there is an option between a draw and victory. The talisman could have batted defensively and drawn the Test match but he decided to go for the win.
Kohli reckons the 2014 Adelaide Test is an important milestone for Team India as it changed the mindset of the players. Even though, India lost that Test match but it gave a shot in the arm to the players that they can win from any situation if they give their best. Kohli lauded the team effort of his players in the Adelaide Test.
Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had scored half-centuries in the first innings whereas Vijay scored another fine knock of 99 runs in the second chapter. However, Kohli was on a different level in the first Test match and brought his best to the table.
Australia had set up an imposing total of 364 runs but the visitors were skittled out for 315 runs. Kohli’s 141 in the second innings is regarded as one of his best ever innings.
India went on to lose the Test series but Kohli’s team grew in confidence after the tour. The Indian team soon reached the pinnacle of Test rankings and held sway in the Test fold.
The Indian captain took to his Instagram to recall the famous Test match. The post read as, “Throwback to this very special and important test in our journey as the test team that we are today. Adelaide 2014 was a game filled with emotion on both sides and an amazing one for people to watch too”.
“Although we didn’t cross the line being so close, it taught us that anything is possible if we put our mind to it because we committed to doing something which seemed very difficult to begin with but almost pulled it off. All of us committed to it. This will always remain a very important milestone in our journey as a test side”.
India savoured success under the leadership of Virat Kohli on their next tour of Australia in 2018-19 and it was the team’s maiden Test series triumph on the Australian soil. India will once again tour Australia for a four-match Test series later in the year.
