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'Still the Biggest Star in the Game' - Former ENG Captain On Virat Kohli's Impact On Cricket

image-lrxpk3hrVirat Kohli has had a massive impact on world cricket

Indian stalwart Virat Kohli has recently been the centre of intense discussions courtesy of his current break from cricket due to personal reasons. Kohli, expected to return for the third Test match of the ongoing series, has left fans and teammates eagerly anticipating his comeback.

Michael Atherton hails Virat Kohli's continued dominance

Former England captain Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton recently engaged in a dialogue about Kohli's absence where the former asked the latter about the star player’s impact.

In response, Atherton compared the impact of Kohli's absence to the notable absence of Tiger Woods from major golf tournaments in his prime. He highlighted Kohli's immense popularity in India, noting the significant attention he draws by the media. Despite no longer being captain, Kohli remains the most significant star in Indian cricket, according to Atherton.

“I mean I kind of liken it a little bit to maybe Tiger Woods missing a major back in the day just because of how big Virat Kohli is here I don't need to tell you how big he is in India in terms of eyeballs on television, column inches in the newspaper. Although he is not captain he is still by far and away the biggest star in the game here,” said Atherton.

The former England batter further reflected on Kohli's influence, acknowledging that Indian cricket fans often gravitate more towards superstar players than the team itself, with Kohli being the epitome of such a star. He also expressed his best wishes for Kohli and his family, respecting the privacy of his personal reasons for the break.


Atherton, moving away from a purely English perspective, shared his admiration for Kohli as a fascinating batter and an intriguing cricketer overall. He noted Kohli's energetic presence and charisma, even when not directly contributing to the game, adding that the series feels diminished without him.

“20 years ago when I was playing, if I was playing under you, I would have thought, well, thank goodness for that. We don't have to bowl at Virat Kohli but I actually look at these things now from a bigger picture now. I find him a fascinating batter to watch. I find him an absolutely fascinating cricketer in general to watch. When he is in the field, even when is not contributing, he just buzzes around with so much energy. He is a very magnetic and charismatic cricketer."

Atherton observed that without Kohli, the Indian batting lineup lacks the solidity it once had with the 'Fab 4', hinting at vulnerabilities in the current team composition.

“So I think the series is diminished by his absence both as one of the best players and just the character and personality. I obviously wish he was playing and I am sorry that even though it does make it a lot easier for England. If you look at that India batting lineup now, it's not like the days of the Fab 4 without Virat Kohli. You do feel there are two or three players that have not yet absolutely cracked Test cricket,” concluded Atherton.

In the meantime, the Indian team, in Kohli's absence, faced a challenging start to the five-match Test series. They suffered a 28-run defeat in the opening game in Hyderabad, despite holding a 190-run lead in the first innings. The second Test is scheduled to begin on February 2 in Vizag, where the team aims to rebound from their early setback.