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XtraTime Web Desk: India and RCB wrist spinner Karn Sharma recently reminisced about Virat Kohli’s bold Test captaincy debut in Australia in 2014. Kohli took charge in the first Test of the series in Adelaide as stand-in captain, with regular skipper MS Dhoni sidelined due to injury. Kohli made a stunning start to his captaincy career, scoring twin centuries on debut, becoming only the second player to achieve this feat after Greg Chappell.

Karn Sharma, who was also part of the squad and made his Test debut in Adelaide, reflected on the memorable match. The 36-year-old praised the positive atmosphere in the dressing room, bolstered by head coach Ravi Shastri's presence. Sharma highlighted Kohli’s audacious decision to chase 364 runs on the final day, which injected a sense of positivity among the players.

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"Making my Test debut against Australia in Australia will always remain special. Very few people get that type of start. The dressing room atmosphere was quite good with Ravi Shastri as the coach. We were chasing over 300 runs in that match, and Virat said, 'no draw, we are going to chase it down.' That injected a lot of positivity among the players," Sharma said on 'Second Innings with Manjot Kalra.'

Sharma further praised Kohli's approach and the positive impact it had on the team. "It was a different approach. Different captains have different styles, but when he said we are chasing over 300 in the fourth innings of a Test—which is very tough in Australian conditions—it sent a strong message to the players that the captain has bold plans," he added.

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Reflecting on the Adelaide Test, after Australia declared overnight, India needed 364 runs to win on the final day. Kohli joined Murali Vijay at the crease with India at 57/2, and the pair built a 185-run partnership for the third wicket. Vijay fell on 99 to Nathan Lyon, who also dismissed Ajinkya Rahane for a duck.

At one point, India required just 87 runs with six wickets in hand. However, Lyon's sharp spin proved decisive as India collapsed to 315 all out, losing the match by 48 runs. Despite Kohli’s valiant 141, India fell short, marking Kohli’s first loss as captain. Yet, the match offered a glimpse of Kohli’s aggressive and fearless captaincy style that would eventually elevate the Indian Test team to new heights under his leadership.