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In his first three Tests as Test captain, he made 115, 141 and 147.
The captain of the India men's Test team has stepped down. He captained India in a record-breaking 68 Tests and won 40 matches, the fourth best record of any Test captain in history. Menon looked at his legacy.
He jumped before he was pushed. He stepped down as captain of the men's Test team on Saturday, but the signs were there before the team left for South Africa.
Few captains have taken on the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India in the same way that Kohli did, he called its president a liar as he contradicted what Sourav Ganguly had said about him being asked to stay on as the Twenty20 captain when he decided to quit that
Board officials have long memories, and they know that Kohli put too much pressure on himself to succeed in South Africa.
After South Africa, any excuse to cut Kohli down to size would be used. The board could claim legitimacy because India lost the series 1-2 to a lower ranked team. He pushed himself into the corner.
A draw was considered the equivalent of a win for Indian cricket back in the day.
The times have changed. India is expected to win everything. The psychological reversal has had a major role to play in this.
He is India's most successful captain with 40 wins in 68 Tests. He will be judged more kindly by history.
For someone who lived most of his life in the public eye, and provoked strong emotions, it was unsurprising that his actions were often over interpreted. Simple motives were often ignored because of the temptation to look beyond the obvious.
When he was a teenager, the popular thought was that if he didn't mellow, he wouldn't be able to play for India. He was acting his age.
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The poster boy of India was Kohli.
The national team's culture was changed to fit the philosophy of Shavian, instead of adopting himself to the ethos.
Within a generation, the Indian team became aggressive, self-confident, wedded to the concept of victory and an uncompromising bunch of players who gave as good as they got. For fans, success in cricket compensated for failure in other fields.
He said that in his cricket, he left nothing out there. He was committed, self-confident, and inspiring, and he didn't hold back personally either.
The so-called "New India" welcomed his belligerence. The poster boy of the economically self-confident India was Sachin Tendulkar, while the poster boy of the psychologically self-confident India was Kohli.
The age of the captain is over, but he will still be the batter, and perhaps the end of the captain will see the resurgence of the batter. He hasn't made an international century in two years, and that must be worrying to him.
One of the two questions that are in the air is not going to be answered until the other is.
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The national team's culture was changed to fit the philosophy of the new coach.
The second one is about Kohli's legacy. Will India play with the same spirit and power that they did under him?
At Cape Town, in his final Test as captain, Kohli made a show of walking up to the stump microphone and expressing his disappointment at a decision taken off the field by the review system.
He should have been pulled up for this because he was childish, petulant and unbecoming. Two other players were encouraged to insult the broadcasters by accusing them of playing for the home team.
India can do without this part of the legacy.
There is much to be said for the positives, including the spirit of one-for-all, all-for-one in the team. The legacy of fast bowling is a result of the work done by the man who is now the captain, and that is the man who is Jasprit Bumrah.
It's interesting that when the team of stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane was reassembled after the first Test in Australia, they appeared less aggressive. It is possible that self-confidence can slip into self-harming arrogance and that the captain's personality is more important than we realize.
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A decline in his batting form is what has happened to him.
The emphasis on fitness should remain a feature of Indian teams. His support for Test cricket was higher than all other formats.
The first question is who will succeed Kohli. The long-term solution is not with him. India can't ignore his claims because he is prone to injuries, but he is clearly the man for the immediate future.
The vice captain is crucial. The obvious choice is Rishabh Pant, he is younger and a certainty in all formats. A period of apprenticeship will benefit him and Indian cricket.
It's good to know that the boys will have someone in their corner.
The Wisden India Almanack has an Editor named Suresh Menon.
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