In the wake of India’s significant defeat against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test, Virat Kohli, the iconic Indian batsman, stands as the last captain to lead India to victory in a Test match within SENA countries—South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia. The recent loss, where South Africa triumphed by an innings and 32 runs, propelled the hosts to a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.
India struggled, managing only 131 runs before being bowled out on Day 3, marking a disheartening start to the series. This defeat also extends India’s challenge in conquering their final frontier in Test cricket—winning a bilateral Test series on South African soil. The quest has proven elusive, with India having attempted and fallen short on eight occasions since 1992.
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A complete performance from the fast bowlers helps the hosts go 1-0 up in the #SAvIND Test series 🎉#WTC25 📝: https://t.co/Rma4l5S0RO pic.twitter.com/BggeNhDkSp
— ICC (@ICC) December 28, 2023
Kohli’s captaincy had previously witnessed success in SENA nations, notably in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in 2021, where India emerged victorious by 113 runs in Centurion. However, the subsequent match at the Wanderers Stadium resulted in a loss, prompting Kohli to step down as India’s Test captain. KL Rahul assumed the captaincy for the final match of that series, a contest won by South Africa with a 7-wicket margin.
Subsequent Test series saw India facing England under the leadership of Jasprit Bumrah, where they suffered a 7-wicket defeat at Edgbaston, concluding the series in a 2-2 tie. The first four matches of the series were played in 2021 under Kohli’s captaincy.
Rohit Sharma took charge of the team during the World Test Championship final against Australia, following India’s triumph in the Border-Gavaskar series. However, India succumbed to a 209-run defeat, marking their second consecutive loss in the WTC Final.
The post-Kohli era in away Test matches has seen India facing setbacks:
– SA vs IND: South Africa defeated India by 7 wickets at Newlands.
– ENG vs IND: England secured a 7-wicket victory at Edgbaston.
– AUS vs IND: Australia emerged triumphant by 207 runs at Kennington Oval.
With the recent loss in Centurion, India is now striving to level the two-match series at the Wanderers Stadium, a venue where they have never won a Test match—a challenging task that adds further intrigue to their ongoing Test campaign.
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