Captain Kohli already under pressure

India great Kapil Dev suggested earlier this year that Virat Kohli has the potential to be better than Sachin Tendulkar.

But Kohli will have to achieve something that proved beyond even Don Bradman if he's to start the looming four-Test series against Australia on a high note.

Kohli was named on Monday to captain India's Test side for the first time after a wrist injury forced skipper MS Dhoni out of the opening encounter at the Gabba.

Quick Single: Dhoni out of first Australia Test

A batting sensation who has attracted plenty of attention for the quality and quantity of his runs, the 26-year-old was the obvious choice.

Tendulkar was 23 when, with even greater weight of expectation, he was first given the Test captaincy.

Tendulkar inflicted a seven-wicket defeat on Australia in Delhi in 1996 but, across two stints, he played only 25 of 200 Tests as skipper.

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Captaincy doesn't come naturally to all cricketers. It is a more exacting responsibility than in most other sports.

On top of the many off-field obligations, skippers make crucial bowling changes, and set much-critiqued batting orders and fields.

They must find a way to artificially lift a side when they are out of a contest.

Bradman was unable to do it at the Gabba in 1936, when Australia's greatest cricketer led the national side in a Test for the first time.

He was out for a duck among a miserable collapse of 8-55 that led to a 322-run loss, having reversed his batting order in the second innings in an effort to combat a wet wicket.

Almost 80 years on, Kohli finds himself in an even more challenging position, as he’s without the local support that Bradman enjoyed.

The right-hander was a target of sledging from vociferous Australian crowds on India’s 2011-12 tour, and was fined for giving the finger to the SCG crowd.

Combative and competitive as he is, don't expect Australians to be too congenial.

Explaining his gesture in 2012, Kohli posted on Twitter that the crowd said "the worst things about your mother and sister. The worst I've heard".

After scoring an impressive first Test century in Adelaide while Australia worked their way to a 4-0 series sweep, Kohli was even more forthright.

"It is really, really frustrating at times because they say stuff which shouldn't be said on a cricket field," Kohli said.

"You go out there to play, not to get abused.

"They've come to enjoy the game of cricket. They should do that and not get drunk and abuse players."

Kohli was likewise fired up about the hosts' sledging.

"(Paceman Ben) Hilfenhaus said something to me which was totally unnecessary and out of the blue. He wasn't even bowling or doing anything," Kohli said.

"He just said something which I can't repeat obviously in the press conference.

"I gave it back to him."

Kohli failed to fire in India's most recent Test tour, to England, like most of his teammates, as they succumbed to a three-one series defeat.

He managed just 134 runs across 10 innings, meaning the spotlight will be intense in Australia, particularly as captain.

"I am sure it is a very tough position to be in," Kohli said earlier this year while filling in for Dhoni during a one-day contest.

“You have to be ready to take all the criticism and praise that comes your way.”

VIRAT KOHLI, SOON TO BE INDIA'S 32ND TEST CAPTAIN:

*Broke an Indian record when he scored an ODI century off 52 balls against Australia last year. Two weeks later, he scored another ton against Australia off 61 balls.

*On Sunday night became the fastest player to 6,000 ODI runs in history, achieving the feat in 136 innings to oust Viv Richards from top spot.

*One of few to stand up during India's miserable Test tour of Australia in 2011-12, during which he scored his maiden Test hundred.

*Is India’s biggest cricket superstar after Tendulkar. Has 4.38 million followers on Twitter, a truckload of promotional deals and dates Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma. Was rated the second 'most marketable athlete' in the world by UK magazine SportsPro.