Best Test XI of 2019

5. Virat Kohli [C]

Such are the standards that Virat Kohli has set for himself that you may be forgiven to think that the Indian captain had a slight lean year with the bat. Except, he didn’t! In eight Tests that Kohli played this year, the Indian captain racked up 612 runs at an average of 68 with two half-centuries and as many three-figure scores including his career-best of 254* against the South Africans.

But, Kohli isn’t only here in this list as a batsman, he is also here as a captain. As a leader, Kohli had a stupendous year in Test cricket. Not only, did he become the first Asian captain to win a Test series in Australia at the start of 2019, he also proceeded to remain unbeaten throughout the year as India scripted seven back-to-back victories- 0-2 vs West Indies, 0-3 vs South Africa, 0-2 vs Bangladesh- to not only reinforce their position at the top of ICC Test rankings but also claim a gobsmacking 360 points in the ICC Test Championship table.

Best Innings- 136 vs Bangladesh, Pink Ball Test, Kolkata

There is no ball or no conditions where Virat Kohli can’t score. And, he once again proved that in India’s first-ever Pink Ball Day-Night Test.

With the pink ball darting around all over the place under the lights, the Indian captain put on a masterclass of the highest order, lacked with sumptuous cover-drives and bucket loads of patience, to become the first Indian to score a pink-ball hundred, much to the delight of 50,000 + people watching at the Eden Gardens.