India's 19-Test unbeaten streak: Virat Kohli, R Ashwin's numbers tell a story of dominance

The numbers speak for themselves: World No. 1 India are unbeaten in 19 consecutive Test matches, after Monday’s 208-run win over Bangladesh in the one-off Test in Hyderabad.

Bangladesh, chasing an enormous target of 459, were dismissed for 250 on the fifth day to give India another comprehensive Test win at home. With this win, Virat Kohli and Co stretched their unbeaten run to 19 Tests. India have also not lost their last 20 matches at home.

Here are all the big numbers from India’s impressive Test run.

Unbeaten 19

The last Test match India lost was back in August 2015, when Sri Lanka won by 63 runs in Galle. India went on to win the next two Tests and the series 2-1. Since then, India have played four Tests against South Africa at home, toured West Indies for four more and hosted New Zealand, England and Bangladesh for three, five and one match respectively. The last Test India did not win was in November in Rajkot in the England series opener.

India have also not lost in their last 20 matches at home – a record stretching back to December 2012, including series against Australia, West Indies and South Africa. The last Test match India lost at home was against England in December 2012 in Kolkata.

Record-breaker Kohli

Sample this: In just 23 Tests, Virat Kohli is third only to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly in the number of Test wins as captain. He has also eclipsed Sunil Gavaskar’s record of unbeaten 18 Tests, which he notched twice – in 1976 and 1980.

Kohli, who has largely played at home in his relatively short tenure, has won 15 matches, lost two and tied six, with an impressive win record of 65%. Dhoni, India’s most successful Test captain statistically, has won 27 Tests with a win record of 45%, while Ganguly won 21 with a record of almost 43%. How Kohli fares once India head overseas remains to be seen, but the 28-year-old has had an emphatic start to captaincy.

At 19 straight wins, Kohli is only behind West Indies legend Clive Lloyd (26) and Australia’s Ricky Ponting (22) in terms of unbeaten streaks. With four more home Tests coming up, Kohli’s dominance could see his record-breaking run extend further.

Kohli, the batsman, is another story altogether. Earlier in the match, he became the first batsman in history to score four double hundreds in successive series. He is also the only Indian to score multiple double tons as captains.

Ashwin’s ascendancy

In fitting fashion, the Bangladesh second innings was wrapped by the two spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – picking up four wickets apiece.

In the Test against Bangladesh, Ravichandran Ashwin, the No. 1 Test bowler and all-rounder in the world, raced away to another record. His 250th came dismissing Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, no less. He is now the fastest bowler to grab 250 Test wickets, breaking Australia’s Denis Lillee’s record of 48 Tests.

But the fastest 250 needs to be seen in context: In 45 Tests, no other Indian bowler has claimed even 200 wickets, not even Harbhajan Singh, who had 199.

Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan reached 250 in 51 Tests, a whole six matches more. Anil Kumble took 55 Tests, Harbhajan Singh did it in 61 while Kapil Dev took 65 matches to get to 25. The others in the top list are South Africa’s Dale Steyn and Allan Donald, who took 49 and 50 Tests respectively.

While the off-spinner has also enjoyed the advantage of bowling primarily in home conditions, Ashwin’s numbers in Test cricket are nothing short of phenomenal.

Ashwin had a record-breaking 2016 as he picked up 72 wickets in 12 matches to finish as the highest wicket-taker in the world for the second consecutive year. His closest competition was Rangana Herath, with 57 wickets, a full 15 short. In the ongoing home season, Ashwin has picked 61 and has four more home Tests to better that already illustrious number.

Perhaps one of the most telling stats about his dominance is this: Since his debut in November 2011, no other bowler in international cricket has has taken more wickets than Ashwin. In the same period, Sri Lankan spinner Herath comes close with 247, having played one Test more and is followed by England’s Stuart Broad (236 in 61) and Anderson (227 in 59).

Ashwin and Kohli have been the cornerstone of India’s Test success in the last season, and their incredible stats tell the story of just how influential they have been. With the four-Test Australia series set to begin from February 23, India will look to these two men to continue their run of form to inflict another massive series win.