Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir hailed Virat Kohli for his brilliant Test captaincy tenure. This happened when Gambhir and Kohli sat down for a candid chat and the video of the same was shared by the BCCI on their social media channels.
They discussed Kohli's term as India's Test captain, as well as the circumstances surrounding his appointment. Gambhir praised Kohli for developing a formidable fast-bowling team capable of taking 20 wickets in abroad conditions and with the mindset to win a Test match.
Virat Kohli took over India's Test captaincy mid-way into the 2014-15 tour of Australia, as MS Dhoni had announced his retirement from Tests. Kohli was just 25 years old when he became the Test captain of the Indian team.
Kohli's appointment marked a clear shift in India's strategy and mentality. He instilled belief in his teammates, particularly in their ability to win in foreign conditions.
"I can understand what you must have gone through, a 25-year-old boy. Taking up India's Test captaincy. What you did brilliantly was that you built a really strong bowling unit. And Test matches are won by taking 20 wickets. Till the time you don't have a strong bowling lineup you will. And that's what made you the most successful captain in the country," Gambhir said in the video posted by BCCI.
Kohli was India's most successful Test captain for seven years, winning 40 of his 68 matches. With 11 draws and 17 losses, Kohli has a victory percentage of 58.82. One of Kohli's most notable accomplishments as Test captain was taking India to the top of the ICC Test rankings, where they remained for a record 42 months.
He also played a crucial role in India's first-ever Test series win in Australia during the 2018-19 tour, a historic feat.
"Credit goes to you. Because as a batter, it is easy to have 6-7 strong batters put up runs on the board. And the way you identified and, more importantly, the attitude you got into the team with the fast bowlers. Imagine having people like Shami, Bumrah, Ishant, Umesh and then winning overseas. I remember you playing that knock in Adelaide when India was chasing 400 runs, and it was your first game as captain and you still wanted to win that Test match," Gambhir added.
Gambhir said that he wanted to build the current Test team with a similar mindset that Kohli instilled.
"That's the mindset and that's the culture you brought and that's what we talk about. What culture do we want to bring in. Going forward. That people want to play red-ball cricket and the best format in cricket if you want to judge someone's personality, character,” Gambhir added.
Virat Kohli had taken over as India captain in Tests in 2014-15 and in his first outing in Adelaide, led from the front as India went all guns blazing in the chase of 364 runs.
“We were transitioning then when you (Gautam Gambhir) guys had made way for the younger team Mahi bhai left the Test captaincy for me it was…I was 25 and I had a team of 25-24-year-olds how do we become that team of household names as you become? I sat down like…I thought It couldn’t happen by chance. When I started to think from the Point Of View where Indian cricket has to be in seven years the solutions came,” recalled Kohli.
Explaining the process Kohli said, “Need to give ownership to five batters and a keeper to get us 350-400 runs. You can’t have a seventh option to give cushion to the batters.”
Before Kohli took over the leadership, India for the most part played with seven batters including a keeper and four bowlers.
However, having five batters gave India the luxury of having five bowlers, allowing the team to frequently pick up twenty wickets in a Test match, which was the foundation of Kohli's success as captain.
“Credit has to go to you as a batter it is easy to put strong six-seven batters on the board but the way you identified especially the attitude you got on the field for the fast bowlers,” he said.
India became a formidable force in overseas conditions registering a series win for the first time in Australia and coming close to a series win in England.
(BCCI inputs)
