Can Captain Kohli repeat Ganguly, Dravid, Kapil's Test success in England?

Virat Kohli has a ghost to bury in England. The Indian captain ranks as one of the best batsmen in the world currently, boasting a career average of 53.40 in Tests. In the old England, however, his record is far less flattering. He has played just one series in England, in 2014, and there he had a miserable time, averaging just 13. As the years rolled by, Kohli evolved into a far more complete player, and a successful England tour this time will be a stamp on his claim as one player who can score anywhere and against anyone.

But Kohli’s is just a sub-plot of a far greater story of India as they eye their first Test series win in England in 11 years. So, when India take the field chasing this record at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham today, captain Kohli will need to lead from the front.

And he has done that on so many other occasions. As a captain, Kohli has tasted victory in 21 of the 35 games played so far, quite an impressive feat. During his time as skipper, his Indian side has played some superb and flamboyant cricket overseas in One Day Internationals (ODIs), but they have failed to replicate the performance in Test matches. But, most of these victories have come on dusty, turning wickets of the Indian sub-continent. Shikhar Dhawan, K L Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya are likely to play the first Test against England today, but they are not the greatest advertisement for the temperament that India is looking for outside of the sub-continent. And, this is where Kohli, the captain, steps in. Read complete article