Top 5 Test innings by Indian batsmen in the last decade

Virat Kohli (141 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2014)

Virat Kohli's hundred at Adelaide was an exceptional innings

This was Virat Kohli’s debut match as the Indian captain and he couldn’t have made a better start. The new skipper scored a hundred each in both innings of the Test but it was his knock in the second innings that deserves more accolades.

India were set a target of 364 to win, thanks largely to Australia’s desire for pushing to win the match. The pitch was assisting spin and Nathan Lyon bowled beautifully in the game, picking up 12 wickets in the Test.

Kohli, who had endured a miserable time in India’s previous series, in England, decided that his team is going to fight and go for a win. He batted superbly and with Murali Vijay, who was dismissed on 99, put on 185 runs for the third wicket.

At 242 for 2, India looked on course for a win but then Lyon went on a roll and knocked out the Indian middle order to take his team to a victory. Kohli though, kept fighting and was only dismissed when he mistimed a pull shot to be caught in the deep.

While Vijay scored 99 off 234 balls, Kohli’s innings of 141 came off just 175 deliveries, a testament to the high quality of his performance. It’s a shame that this innings had to end up on the losing side but it was certainly an innings worth savouring.