Virat Kohli Explains How Team India Rose To World No. 1 In Tests

Virat Kohli took over as Test captain after Mahendra Singh Dhoni quit captaincy during the Australia tour in 2014. India were ranked No. 7 in Tests when Kohli took over the reigns. Kohli's leadership has taken the Indian cricket team to new heights after Dhoni retired. India have played 29 Tests under Kohli's leadership, winning 19, losing 3 and drawing 7 to reach the top. In a video interview with his team-mate Rohit Sharma posted by BCCI, after India thumped Sri Lanka to take a dominant 4-0 lead in the five-match ODI series, Kohli described how the Men in Blue reached the pole position in the Test charts.

While applauding his team, Kohli also credited the supports staff in India's domination in the longest format of the game.

"When I took over the captaincy in Australia in 2014, we were ranked no.7 and now we are no.1 with same group of people. They have gelled well with the team and everyone loves them," Kohli said after India's thumping 168-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo.

"All the way down to Raghu (Srinivasan), who along with Sanjay Bangar has taken our batting to next well in the last two years. Raghu guy has been outstanding along with Arun Paaji with the bowling, and Sridhar with the fielding," Kohli said.

"These guys have worked relentlessly. Shastri bhai has been unlocking everyone's game and motivating the players," the Indian captain said.

Kohli took over as a full-time captain in all three formats in January earlier this year after Dhoni relinquished ODI and T20I captaincy.

Dhoni has been India's most successful captain. Under his leadership India have won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the ICC ODI World Cup in 2011, ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and also reached the top of the Test rankings in 2009.

Kohli has led India in a few ODI series as a part-time skipper when Dhoni was full-time captain. In his captaincy, India have played 34 ODIs so far, winning 26, losing on 7 occasions and 1 no result.