It was in 2011 that Virat Kohli made his Test debut in Jamaica. After impressing in the ODI format, everyone was looking forward to how Virat would perform in Tests. The former Indian skipper did not enjoy a great start. He struggled in conditions where the ball moved and had to be dropped from the squad. However, once he found his groove, it was hard to stop him. While he went on to break many records with the bat, he also captained India in the best phase of Test cricket for the men in blue. Here, we take a look at India’s playing XI when Virat Kohli made his Test Debut.
Openers: Abhinav Mukund and Murali Vijay
Abhinav Mukund and Murali Vijay were the openers in India’s playing XI when Virat Kohli made his Test Debut. It was a Tamil Nadu opening combination for Virat Kohli’s first Test. While Vijay had already made his name, Abhinav was doing well in domestic cricket and rightfully earned his chance.
Middle-Order: Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina
Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman along with Sachin Tendulkar were a prominent part of India’s Test middle-order. In this game, though, Sachin did not play. Rest up, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina completed this middle-order. Suresh Raina played a total of 18 Tests for India.
Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma
Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra were the spinners in India’s playing XI when Virat Kohli made his Test Debut. Bhajji, along with Anil Kumble, formed a spin unit that was tough to displace. After Kumble’s retirement, Amit Mishra was one of the players who was tried out in this department. India was putting up a pace unit at that time. While Ishant Sharma had already cemented his place, Praveen Kumar also got a few chances.
