Despite the heartbreaking finale, Adelaide 2014 holds a unique place in the hearts of Indian fans.
Amazingly, on today’s date in 2014, Virat Kohli marked his second hundred in the same game. Plus, this was his maiden venture as the Indian Test team’s leader. Breaking new ground, he was the inaugural captain to secure triple digits in two innings during his first outing.
It was the first of four Tests in Australia, and the Adelaide Oval pitch performed admirably. In their first innings, the hosts declared a massive 517/7.
In response, Virat Kohli hit a stunning 115 off 184 balls to lead India to a total of 444, trailing Australia by only 73 runs. Australia added insult to injury by scoring 290/5, setting India a fourth-innings target of 364.
With the score appearing out of reach and most pundits expecting India to settle for a draw, Virat Kohli had other plans. On a sloppy Day 5 wicket, the now-35-year-old hitter went after the run chase and scored an astounding 141 from 175 balls.
Unfortunately, with 60 runs needed, he mistimed a pull and was caught at deep midwicket, putting an end to India’s hopes of a miraculous victory. Following that, the visitors crumbled and were bowled out for 315, suffering a devastating 48-run defeat.
Though the outcome wasn’t expected, Virat Kohli’s passion and determination for a victory indicates a shift in the direction for Indian cricket. This change ended up guiding the squad to the rank of No.1 Test team after a year.
Here’s a video of Virat Kohli’s spectacular double hundred in Adelaide in 2014:
With MS Dhoni retiring after the series’ last Test, Kohli took over as India’s full-time Test captain beginning with the final game in Sydney.
India performed some incredible exploits under Kohli’s captaincy, including a Test series triumph in Australia in 2018-19. The great cricketer captained India in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them while losing only 17 and drawing 11.
Virat Kohli’s brilliance in 2014-15 Down Under Test Series
Virat Kohli maintained his domination throughout the four-Test series after the heartbreaking Adelaide Test finish.
The 35-year-old didn’t play in the following Test at Brisbane, resulting in a four-wicket loss that left India trailing 0-2. However, Kohli didn’t let this deter him. In the third Test at MCG, he delivered an awe-inspiring 169-run innings. This pushed India’s score to 465, answering Australia’s intimidating 530.
He then hit a critical 54 in the fourth innings to enable his team escape with a tie. Virat Kohli completed the series with another magnificent 147 in the first innings of the Sydney Test, keeping India in the game.
Virat Kohli finished the epic series with a game-saving 46 in the last innings to keep India from losing.
With 692 runs at an average of 86.50, including four hundreds, the Delhi-born batsman concluded the series as the series’ second top run-scorer, trailing only Steve Smith.
The series is especially notable for Kohli’s battles with now-retired elite bowler Mitchell Johnson.
