India's strongest Test XI under Virat Kohli

Middle-order batsmen

Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara

A permanent fixture in the Indian batting line-up for Tests, Pujara has repaid his captain's enormous faith in him through his performances with the bat. After a decent run in 2015 with 347 runs in five matches, Pujara raised his standards in the following year with 836 runs in eleven matches at an average of 55.73. He was India's second highest run-getter behind Kohli with three centuries and four half-centuries in 2016. The Saurashtra batsman was especially unstoppable during India's home series victories over New Zealand (3-0) and England (4-0).

Last year, with 1140 runs in 11 matches at an average of 67.05 he finished as the second highest run-getter of the year behind the Aussie Steven Smith. With four centuries and five half-centuries, he was India's top batsman of 2017. The 30-year-old is yet to get into the groove this year, having scored 155 runs in six matches. Though he is currently not at his best, he has certainly been India's prime batsmen in the past 3-4 years.

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Virat Kohli (Captain)

Virat Kohli

Captaincy has brought out the best from Virat Kohli, who took over the reigns form Mahendra Singh Dhoni in January 2015. The Delhiite has been in sublime touch, scoring runs consistently for India in Test matches across various countries. Kohli ended 2015 as the highest run-scorer for Team India with 640 runs in nine matches at an average of 42.66, with his highest score being 147. The skipper was in the form of his life in 2016 scoring 1215 runs in 12 matches at an astonishing average of 75.93. Virat, who was named the Man of the tournament at the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup and IPL, scored three double-centuries that year- against West Indies, New Zealand and England.

It was a year to remember for the Indian skipper as he created a plethora of records- only Indian Test captain to score three double hundreds, first Indian captain to register nine Test wins in a calendar year, first Indian captain to register five successive Test series wins, First Indian to aggregate over 1000 Test runs in a calendar year since Rahul Dravid, who made 1145 runs in 2011 and third player to score three double hundreds in a calendar year after Don Bradman and Ricky Ponting. He continued his dream run in 2017 too, scoring 1059 runs in ten matches that included five centuries and a half-century at an average of 75.64. This year, with 526 runs in five matches at an average of 52.60, he continues to be India's saviour with the bat in Tests.

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Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane's contribution for Team India has been immense under Virat Kohli in Test matches. The Mumbai batsman has provided the much-needed stability for the Indian middle order with his scintillating stroke-play. After ending 2015 as India's second highest run-getter behind skipper Kohli with 593 runs (three centuries and a half century) in nine matches, Rahane continued his good run in 2016 with 653 runs in ten matches.

Last year, he was India's fourth best batsman with 554 runs in 11 matches. This year though, hasn't gone well for him as he is struggling to regain his sublime touch with just 115 runs in seven innings. But, one cannot question his supremacy with the bat since he has contributed consistently in the middle order for the past three-four years.