“Disappointing” Tag on India’s Most Successful Captain: Is It Fair for Virat Kohli?

When discussing India’s legendary cricket captains, names like Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, and Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi inevitably come to mind. Yet, leaving Virat Kohli out of this list would be incomplete. By the numbers alone, Kohli stands as one of the most successful Indian captains in history.

However, despite his record, some prominent figures—including former teammate Harbhajan Singh, former Australian cricketer and IPL-winning coach Tom Moody, and Aaron Finch, the 2021 T20 World Cup-winning captain for Australia—have described Kohli’s captaincy as “disappointing.” This judgment was shared during a panel discussion on JioHotstar’s Rise of Champions. But is this assessment entirely fair?

Why Some Call It “Disappointing”
Harbhajan Singh argues that with the team Kohli had, India should have won at least three to four ICC trophies. The lack of major white-ball tournament victories under his leadership forms the basis of this critique. Tom Moody described Kohli’s tenure as an “era of high expectations that ended in disappointment,” pointing to the absence of significant success in ODIs and T20Is. Aaron Finch echoed similar sentiments.

Yet, former RCB star AB de Villiers dismissed this line of criticism, stating that evaluating a captain solely based on ICC trophies is unfair. “It frustrates me when people reduce a captain’s worth to whether he has won a World Cup or not,” he said.

Kohli’s Captaincy Record

Test Cricket (Minimum 20 matches)

• Matches: 68 | Wins: 40 | Losses: 17 | Draws: 11 | Win %: 58.82%

ODI Cricket (Minimum 50 matches)

• Matches: 95 | Wins: 65 | Losses: 27 | Ties/No Result: 3 | Win %: 68.42%

T20I Cricket (Minimum 20 matches)

• Matches: 50 | Wins: 30 | Losses: 16 | Ties/No Result: 4 | Win %: 60.00%

Kohli remains India’s most successful captain in terms of winning percentage in Tests and among the top in ODIs and T20Is.

Why Kohli’s Era Is Remembered
Kohli’s captaincy is considered India’s “transition phase” in cricket history. Under him, the Indian team shifted from cautious play to an aggressive, result-oriented approach, particularly in Test cricket. India appeared almost unbeatable across most countries in Tests and emerged as series winners in bilateral white-ball contests, even if ICC trophies eluded them. His tenure also set the foundation for a “fitness-first” approach, producing the highly fit Indian team we see today.

Major Achievements Under Kohli’s Leadership

• India remained the No. 1 Test team for nearly 42 months (Oct 2016 – Apr 2020).
• India finished five consecutive years as the No. 1 Test team, claiming the ICC Test mace.
• First Indian and Asian captain to win a Test series in Australia (2-1 in 2018).
• Victories in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) became a hallmark.
• Historic series wins: South Africa ODI series 5-1 (2018), clean sweep in New Zealand T20s 5-0 (2020).

ICC Tournaments During Kohli’s Captaincy

• 2008: Under-19 World Cup winner (as captain).
• 2017: ICC Champions Trophy runner-up, lost to Pakistan in final.
• 2019: ICC ODI World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.
• 2021: ICC T20 World Cup group-stage exit (losses to Pakistan and New Zealand).
• 2021: ICC World Test Championship final runner-up against New Zealand.

While Kohli did not win a senior ICC trophy, his captaincy era is remembered for aggressive cricket, team transformation, and record-breaking achievements—arguably making him one of India’s most influential and successful captains.