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“Kohli Was The Most Australian Non-Australian…” Ex-India Coach On Virat’s Legacy

Aakash Saini

Virat Kohli [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Virat Kohli [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

Virat Kohli confirmed his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12, shortly after captain Rohit Sharma bid farewell to the format. His announcement prompted a flood of tributes from cricket fans and experts alike, with messages pouring in from all corners of the cricketing world.

However, none of them appeared more striking than the glowing admiration expressed by legendary Australian cricketer and former Indian head coach Greg Chappell. In his column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell hailed Kohli’s personality as a skipper, and described him as the “most Australian non-Australian” cricketer he has ever seen.

Greg Chappell compares Kohli with Dhoni, Ganguly

Former cricketer Greg Chappell stated that Virat Kohli fittingly carried the legacy of Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni upon becoming Indian Test captain. Even though Chappell had a fallout with Ganguly during their partnership in mid-2000s, the former Australian player praised both him as well as Dhoni for making India formidable in the red-ball cricket.

However, Chappell stated that under the leadership of Virat Kohli, Team India was expected to win even on tough overseas tours. He wrote:

“There was a time when Indian cricket, particularly overseas, bore an air of respectful submission - playing with technical skill, yes, but often with psychological inferiority. That changed in stages. Sourav Ganguly gave Indian cricket a new spine. MS Dhoni brought ice-cold leadership and white-ball dominance. But Kohli? Kohli lit the fire. He tore the script and authored a new one, where India was not just competitive abroad but expected to win.”

Greg Chappell also described Virat Kohli as the “most Australian non-Australian cricketer” he has ever seen, who never gave his opponents an inch on the field. He added:

“He was the most Australian non-Australian cricketer we've ever seen - a snarling warrior in whites, never giving an inch, always demanding more. Not just of his bowlers, his fielders or his opposition, but first and foremost, of himself.”

A veteran of 123 Tests spanning 14 years, Virat Kohli will now be expected to rejoin the RCB franchise once the IPL 2025 season gets resumed by the BCCI.

Earlier in the day, he was spotted entering the Mumbai Airport along with his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma.