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"He Set Ego Aside": Australia Legend Jabs Virat Kohli's 'Selfish' Critics With Test Example

Soumyajit Dutta

Aaron Finch and Virat Kohli [Source: @pslmania/X]Aaron Finch and Virat Kohli [Source: @pslmania/X]

Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket cements his legacy not just as a prolific batter but as a transformative captain who prioritized team success over personal milestones. Under his leadership, India achieved historic overseas victories, including a maiden Test series win in Australia and dominance in home conditions.

Former cricketer Aaron Finch, however, brought out the sacrifice aspect of Kohli in his recent chat with JioHotstar. He pinpointed how Kohli gave up his own performance for his team.

Finch Reveals Kohli's Ego-Free Approach

While critics highlight a dip in Virat Kohli's batting numbers in recent years, Kohli’s strategic choices, particularly favouring spin-friendly pitches to maximize India’s strengths, underscored his selfless approach, often sidelining personal glory for collective triumphs.

"What really stands out to me about Virat's leadership is that you can look at his numbers now and say they're not as good as they were five years ago. But he was playing on some wickets in India that were spinning hugely from day one. It was about putting your own ego aside to say, 'What's the best thing for my team right now to win a Test match against this opposition?'" Finch said, as quoted by NDTV.

"They could have rolled out some flat wickets and said, 'I'm going to cash in on my own runs and make sure that my record stacks up with some of the all-time greats,' but he put his own ego aside and said, 'I want what's best for my team to win this match,'" Finch added.

Ravi Shastri, part of the IPL 2025 pre-match panel, concurred, “Brilliant point, and it sounds better when it comes from you rather than me.”

Kohli's Retirement Marks Generational Shift

Kohli's captaincy era, marked by aggression and adaptability, reshaped India’s Test identity. Kohli’s decision to step away follows the retirements of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, signalling a transition phase for the team. 

Despite statistical fluctuations, his influence on India’s cricketing ethos, especially in nurturing a formidable pace attack and fostering a winning mindset, remains unparalleled.