Double tons: Kohli on par with Bradman as captain

Sport360 staff 13:53 12/02/2017
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  • Double up: Kohli and Bradman.

    Indian skipper Virat Kohli has improved heaps and bounds as a batsman in the Test arena since taking over as captain.

    Simple statistics will show you that in matches when he has played as a regular member of the Test team, his record reads: 31 matches, 1098 runs (average 41.14) and seven centuries (top score of 169).

    When he is the captain of the side, his stats drastically improve.

    In 23 matches, he has hit 2353 runs (average 67.22) and scored nine centuries – with four of them being converted into double hundreds.

    The Indian star’s batting stats as Test captain are actually comparable to the some of the best captain-batsmen of all time.

    Just think of this, Kohli has four double centuries to his name in 23 Tests as skipper. That is a better rate than even the legendary Sir Don Bradman, who is considered as the greatest batsman of all time.

    Bradman captained Australia in 24 Tests and notched up four double tons during that period, albeit it must be said that the Australian great’s fourth double century came in his 18th Test as skipper.

    In fact, Kohli now holds the record for most double centuries in successive Test series (four), ahead of Bradman and Rahul Dravid (three).

    Kohli is now just one double hundred shy of equalling the all-time record for most double centuries as a captain in Tests. West Indian legend Brian Lara currently holds that record with five from 47 Test matches.

    With Kohli expected to captain the Indian team for a while to come, you can’t deny that the odds of him breaking that record are in his favour.

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