Gambhir Explains What Made Kohli India’s Most Successful Test Captain

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, two prominent figures in Indian cricket, recently reunited for a conversation hosted by the BCCI. They discussed their intertwined journeys within the Team India setup, now sharing the dressing room in the roles of coach and player.

Kohli reflected on his early days as Test captain, succeeding one of India’s most successful leaders, MS Dhoni. He described the challenge of leading a young team. “At 25, I was faced with the question: How do we become household names?” Kohli shared. He emphasized the need for a strategic approach, stating, “I really need to plan this out. This can’t happen by chance.”

Kohli’s Journey as Test Captain

Gambhir acknowledged the difficulties Kohli faced in taking on the captaincy at such a young age. He praised Kohli’s leadership, particularly his strong bowling unit, stating, “Test matches are won by taking 20 wickets. A strong bowling line-up is essential.”

Kohli’s captaincy began in the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar series when he took charge during Dhoni’s injury. He later assumed the role full-time and became India’s most successful Test captain, achieving 40 wins in 68 matches with a win percentage of 58.82.

Gambhir highlighted Kohli’s impact on the team culture, particularly his mindset during challenging matches. He recalled Kohli’s determination during his first match as captain in Adelaide, where the team chased 400 runs. “That is the mindset, that is the culture we want to bring in,” Gambhir concluded.

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