'Want to see India dominate': Kohli's 2015 vow viral as team wins ICC Test mace 7th time

Six years ago, days after just being handed over the reins of India's Test team by MS Dhoni, a young 25-year-old Virat Kohli had set his eyes on a never-achieved before target. The young gun had dreamt of creating a side that would dominate world cricket for the next five or six years. What lay in front of him was a peak never scaled before and the added pressure of filling in the shoes of 'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni, who had taken Team India to prestigious heights with a glimmering trophy cabinet as a testimony. 

Just months after being handed the Test captaincy, Virat Kohli in June 2015 while speaking to ESPNcricinfo had said, "I strongly want to see the Indian team dominate for at least five or six years. We certainly have the talent. We certainly have the ability. All that it will take is how you manage that and keep them together." 

Team India top ICC Test Rankings

Six years down the line, Virat Kohli seems to have nailed his target, without making any loud noises about it as focus turns to the inaugural World Test Championship, which would serve as a testament to the skipper's efforts. While India is yet to win an ICC title under Kohli, coming close in the ODI and T20I World Cups, on Wednesday, as the ICC annual year came to an end, Team India found itself unhindered from the top of the ICC Test Rankings, thereby, crowing the Men in Blue as 'Kings of the Tests'. While the feat is not an unheard occurrence before, what thunders is India's dominance on the top of the table and Virat Kohli's 6-year-old dream which has finally come to life. 

As India won the ICC Test mace on Wednesday, it ended the year on top of the charts for the fifth consecutive time after winning it in 2017 first. The half-decade of dominance in Tests has turned the clock back in time when Virat Kohli had just dreamt of and set out to accomplish the unheard, unspoken and unsaid. By virtue of winning the ICC Test mace once again 21, India now has 7 of the shining golden cups in the cabinet. Prior to Kohli's 5 trophies, India had last won the Test mace in 2010 and 2011 under MS Dhoni. While India has the second-most number of maces, Australia holds the most with 9 trophies to their name. 

England overtakes Australia

Meanwhile, England moved a slot upwards to take the number three position from Australia, which has now slipped to the fourth spot. England gained three points in the latest update to take its aggregate to 109, while Australia lost five points and has an aggregate of 108.  The latest update eliminated results from the 2017-18 season, in which England had suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Australia. The defeat was continuing to affect England's position on ICC Test rankings because the results from the series were reflecting on the points table prior to the update. 

Focus turns to WTC final

While Team India would celebrate their 5th year of glory silently, the real focus turns to the World Test Championship between India and New Zealand set to be held in England next month. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 20-man squad for the upcoming World Test Championship and India tour of England. Team India’s first stop will be in Southampton where they play New Zealand to decide the first champion of the Test format. Following their 3-1 win against England at home, India finished as the No. 1 side with 72.2 percentage points and booked their place in the final. The Indian team is scheduled to play the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at Southampton from June 18-22 before taking on England in a five-Test series.