By 2016-17, when Virat Kohli fully took over the captaincy in all formats, the transformation was complete. Still combative and always a straight shooter, he was unafraid to call the Australian captain a cheat without ever using the word or taking on the media for criticizing MS Dhoni and questioning his place in the team.
This extreme self-assurance, mistaken for arrogance by some, is also key to understanding the Virat Kohli phenomenon. That, and what Tendulkar describes as his “peripheral vision”.
Mostly importantly, Virat was at peace with himself as captain and that’s what explains his results at Test level. At peace with his game and where he wanted to take Indian cricket.
The Virat story, despite the sheer scale of his achievements, isn’t complete yet. While the 2018 series victory in Australia had given Virat a serious push as captain, 2021 England will also remain a huge high point.
Virat Kohli’s passion for Indian cricket is unquestionable
A conversation on 16 February 2021, hours after India had won the second Test levelling the series 1-1, sums things up about Kohli the skipper.
Virat had put on a masterclass against the turning ball on the third day, quashing all debates on the pitch. He had demonstrated that it was possible to score runs on the Chennai wicket and all you needed was sublime skill to be able to do so.
And this, after a ball that spun and found the gap between his bat and pad as he tried to play an expansive cover drive to Moeen Ali, removed him for a duck. In the second innings, there was an exaggerated shuffle each time he faced Moeen and it was only after he was settled and comfortable did he play his first cover drive.
With the ball turning and bouncing, batting wasn’t easy. But Virat, it seemed, was in his own zone. Counter attacking every loose ball on offer, Virat, with Ravichandran Ashwin for company, put the match conclusively beyond England.
When I congratulated him for an innings of great skill and character, he was somewhat philosophical.
Safe to say, he has. Congrats on a great 7 years at the helm, Virat.
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