Virat Kohli has left a mark in the rich cricketing history of India with his unparalleled sportsmanship. With a legacy that stands beyond stats, he is one of the finest cricketing gems who has taken the game to global standards. However, little was known about Virat Kohli’s captaincy record.
When Virat took over the captaincy reins from MS Dhoni, it was a big responsibility of him. Dhoni, with his impeccable game sense and stellar leadership abilities, has set the bar high for his successor. With all the prestigious ICC trophies in his pocket, Dhoni passed the leadership baton to Virat, with the hope of carrying Indian dominance across all the formats.
Virat Kohli’s captaincy record in all formats: The era of sheer Indian dominance
The base of Virat’s captaincy was laid down from the U-19 World Cup 2008 when the latter led the young Indian side to triumph. While this was just a mere glimpse of his leadership skills, his moment came in 2013, when he was first bestowed with the responsibility to lead the Indian side in limited over formats.
The right-handed batter emerged as one of the most successful captains of the world, with a stunning winning percentage. Out of 213 under his leadership across all formats, India won 135 duels while they lost 60. His incredible winning percentage of 63.38% makes him stand out when we mention the most successful skippers in cricket. Virat’s captaincy period is from 2013 to 2022.
Let us take a closer look at Virat Kohli’s captaincy record across all the formats:
T20Is
When we talk about the shortest format of cricket, i.e. T20I, Virat marked his supremacy not just with the bat, but also with his captaincy. His good game sense and aggressive approach played an instrumental role in his sharpening as the leader of the team. India played a total of 50 T20Is under his leadership, in which the South Asian nation emerged victorious in 30 games. Losing just 16 games, Virat has a winning percentage of 60%.
While India failed to qualify for the playoffs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, it started the final phase of his captaincy in T20Is.
ODIs
Over the years, Virat has established himself as one of the greatest ODI batters of all time. The moment of greatness came in the ODI World Cup 2023 when the right-handed batter surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to score the highest number of ODI centuries. (50).
Taking account of his captaincy in the 50-over game, India has won 65 and 27 games out of the 95 encounters. Complimenting the sheer winning stats, his winning percentage of 68.42% is another strong element of his captaincy resume. The 36-year-old led India to the semifinals of the ODI World Cup 2023, but the campaign ended in a disappointing defeat against New Zealand.
Tests
If we delve deep into the captaincy stint of Virat, the red-ball cricket is the format where he excelled the most. With 68 games under his regime, India won 40 and lost 17, while 11 games ended up as a draw. It is under Virat’s astute leadership that India maintained complete dominance over the five-day game, winning the prestigious ‘ICC Test Mace’ for three consecutive years (2017, 2018, 2019).
It was Virat, who captained the Indian side to the pinnacle showdown of the ICC World Test Championship (2019-2021). However, that campaign ended up in turmoil as India lost another high-stakes battle against the Kiwis at the Rose Bowl in England.
IPL – The torch bearer of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
It would be an injustice to Virat if we ignore his captaincy record in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Though it can not be denied that RCB has yet to win an IPL title, Virat has been a loyal fighter of his franchise.
The Delhi-born cricketer has captained the Bengaluru-based side in 144 matches across different seasons. Out of which he managed to win 66 games and 70 losses. While these disappointing stats have brought a serious dent to his reputation time over time, winning an IPL title is a dream that he still wishes to achieve.
With IPL 2025 on the roll, RCB has bid farewell to their last season skipper, Faf du Plessis. There are rumors amongst the cricket fraternity that the management might ask Virat to take over the charge of the team again. However, there has been no official clarification on the scenario yet, there still lies a chance that the 36-year-old might take the beacon in his hands.
ICC Title drought: A dent in Virat’s captaincy legacy
Though there is no doubt about Virat’s unmatched batting prowess and aggression, when it comes to his captaincy record, a disappointing blemish stands out. His inability to secure an ICC trophy and an IPL title is a hurting point.
His tenure as a captain marks India’s dominance in bilateral series, no matter what the format is. It was under his captaincy that India achieved the pinnacle in the Test rankings and maintained that supremacy for a lengthy span of three years.
Despite being extremely good, the Indian side faltered at crucial junctures. Be it the Champions Trophy 2017 final, the semifinal of the ODI World Cup 2019, or the T20I World Cup 2021, India fell behind just before reaching the cusp of glory.
Critics, at times, have mentioned that Virat’s over-aggressive approach to the game has always backfired in high-pressure games, which require patience and calmness to stand steady. During his time, the Indian side often claimed to go with the pre-decided strategies rather than making necessary changes according to the situation.
While his image as a player stands on a high note, this crucial factor of title drought gives a lesson of challenges in a team sport.
