Virat Kohli’s undefeated 2016: The seasons India did not lose a single Test match

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Virat Kohli
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Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: BCCI)

The year 2016 has been excellent for India in Tests. Although a lot is being said about India turning more towards the limited variety of the game, especially the T20 format, but their performance in the longest version under a new skipper in Virat Kohli in 2016 has been terrific.

But 2016 has been even better. India have won all the three series they have played this year, including an away one against the West Indies (2-0) and two home series against New Zealand (3-0) and England (4-0). Last year, they had drawn one game against Australia down under but it was a dead rubber since India had already lost the series.

This year, India won nine out of 12 Tests while they have drawn three. The superior show in Test matches has so far made Kohli the best captain in the longest format in terms of success rate (14 wins out of 22 has made it 63.63). And now, it is Kohli’s turn to enjoy a year when they didn’t let down their supporters even once. The specialty of this year is that Team India won the most number of Tests (nine) than any of its earlier undefeated years (previous best was five). So there in lies another record for the dashing Kohli.

But this is not the first time that India haven’t lost a Test match in an entire year. There have been instances in the past when they did not lose a game but neither won too many as well.

India’s undefeated years: 1955

In 1955, India drew a five-game series 0-0 against arch-rivals Pakistan on their soil. Vinoo Mankad was the captain of the Indian side which made its first-ever trip to Pakistan, a country which was created just eight years earlier. India backed this unbeaten performance with a 2-0 win over New Zealand in a three-game home series later that year. In that series, Ghulam Ahmed led in the first Test while Poly Umrigar was the captain in the remaining four.

India did not lose in 1961

In 1961, India had another good year in which they did not lose a single Test match. Pakistan came to India to play their second-ever series in the country (1960-61) and like the one in 1955, this five-game series was also inconclusive. Nari Contractor was the skipper of the Indian side in this series. India also remained undefeated in the other series they played in that year (1961-62) and it was against England who they beat 2-0 in a five-game home series. Contractor led the side in this series as well. His good show as the captain was, however, halted in the next series that he played in the Caribbeans where a bouncer from Charlie Griffith hit him on his head.

India’s historic year: 1971

The next ‘undefeated’ year for India came after a decade in 1970-71. It was indeed a historic year for Indian cricket as they went on to defeat the mighty West Indians on their own soil (1-0) in a five-game series played in February-April. Ajit Wadekar was the captain of the side that achieved a historic first.

India defeated the Caribbeans in the second match of the series at Port-of-Spain which was also the debut game of the iconic Sunil Gavaskar. The Little Master had hit 65 and 67 not out in that match as India won by 7 wickets. India continued with their good show in the next series as they went on to beat England in their den 1-0 in a three-match series. Wadekar was leading the side in this series as well.

1986: Another great year for India

India had to wait for a decade-and-a-half to see another year in which they went lossless. After drawing a game against Australia in early 1986, they defeated their former colonial masters England once again in an away series in June-July. Under Kapil Dev, the Indians defeated England 2-0 in a three-match series. In September-October that year, they drew Australia 0-0 in a three-game home series with the first match ending in a tie. India’s final series of the year was against minnows Sri Lanka who they defeated 2-0 in a three-game series. Kapil Dev was the Indian skipper in this series as well.

1993: When Azharuddin came back from nowhere

The next no-loss year for India came seven years later in 1993 when Mohammed Azharuddin was the captain. After some disastrous tours in Australia and South Africa, Azharuddin’s captaincy was really shaky when India took on England at home early that year and bulldozed them 3-0 in a three-game series. India next defeated Test newborns Zimbabwe (remember Vinod Kambli’s back-to-back double centuries against England and Zimbabwe?) and then beat the Lankans 1-0 in an away three-match series. That was Azharuddin’s only win on foreign soil and India’s away victory for a long time. It was a year when India won five Tests and lost none.

India next defeated Test newborns Zimbabwe (remember Vinod Kambli’s back-to-back double centuries against England and Zimbabwe?) and then beat the Lankans 1-0 in an away three-match series. That was Azharuddin’s only win on foreign soil and India’s away victory for a long time. It was a year when India won five Tests and lost none.

Dhoni had an undefeated year in 2009

The next good year for India’s Test cricket came in 2009 when they beat New Zealand 1-0 in a three-match away series and Sri Lanka 2-0 in a three-match home series. Mahendra Singh Dhoni led two matches against the Kiwis, including the game India won, while Virender Sehwag led in the remaining one. Dhoni was also the captain in the series against Sri Lanka in which both of India’s wins were by innings margins.

And now, it is Kohli’s turn to enjoy a year when India didn’t let down its supporters even once. The specialty of this year is that India have won the most number of Tests (eight) than any of its earlier undefeated years (previous best was five). So there in lies another record for the dashing Kohli.

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