A deep dive into the ups and downs of Kohli’s batting average across 14 unforgettable years in white flannels
There was no dramatic press conference. No teary farewell speech at a packed stadium. Just a quiet post on Instagram — a simple scroll and swipe away — and with that, Virat Kohli signed off from Test cricket. On a Monday morning, the cricketing world blinked in disbelief. India's modern-day batting titan, the man who once ruled every crease as if it were his kingdom, announced he was done with the whites.
For 14 years, Kohli made the long format his personal theatre. From Adelaide to Edgbaston, from fiery centuries to frustrating ducks — the man had seen it all. While his cover drives and on-field aggression often stole the spotlight, a deeper look at his Test average tells a more layered and human story.
So let's walk through that timeline — from debut to retirement — and see how the numbers ebbed and flowed like a tide that never quite stood still.
Credit: Rediff
Every legend has a nervous beginning. Kohli's Test debut in 2011, away in the West Indies, was no different. Five innings, just 76 runs.
An average of 15.20. Not quite the stuff of headlines, right? But beginnings aren't meant to be perfect—they're meant to test.
He fumbled, yes, but he didn't fall apart.
Over the next few seasons, the average began to rise.
In 2012, he achieved his first century in Adelaide — 116 that sparkled with defiance. That year, he concluded with an average of 49.21. 2013 was steady with 616 runs at 56.00.
2014? A rollercoaster. A dismal tour of England sent his average plummeting — just 13.40 in five matches. But then came the Australia tour later that year, and oh boy, did he roar. Four centuries in four Tests, 692 runs at 86.50, and the average rebounded.
By the end of 2015, Kohli had 2,994 runs in 41 Tests, averaging 44.03.
Credit: The Quint
Now we're talking prime Kohli — the beast mode. Between 2016 and 2019, his average didn't just go up — it soared. He smashed double centuries like he was collecting stamps. In 2016, he averaged 75.93.
In 2017, it was 75.64. 2018 tested him again with swinging Dukes balls in England, but he responded with 593 runs at 59.30 in five Tests. Redemption achieved.
By 2019, Kohli's career Test average had ballooned to nearly 54.50, with 7 double hundreds under his belt. This was Kohli at his zenith — strong, stubborn, and unstoppable.
Then came the lean years. Cricket during the pandemic wasn't quite the same, and neither was Kohli. Between 2020 and 2022, he played 30 Tests and managed just 3 centuries, and his average dipped.
In 2020, it was 19.33. In 2021, there was a marginal improvement — 28.21. 2022 didn't offer much relief either: 26.50. The once-mighty average began its slow descent, slipping below 50 for the first time in years.
Ah, but champions don't bow out quietly. In 2023, Kohli showed flashes of his former self — 671 runs at 55.91 across eight Tests. He scored two centuries, two fifties, and one sparkling 186 against Australia at Ahmedabad.
The average spiked again, reaching 48. It served as a gentle reminder that he still had the timing and hunger, just not the consistency.
The final phase wasn't kind. In 2024, across 10 Tests, Kohli averaged just 24.52, despite scoring a lone century. 2025 offered only two innings — 23 runs, with an average of 11.50.
When he announced his retirement, his final Test average stood at 46.85. Still elite. Still top-tier. But not quite what it once was.
