'MS Dhoni needs to be given credit for backing Virat Kohli,' says Gautam Gambhir
Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir feels that a lot of credit should be given to MS Dhoni for backing Virat Kohli after the disastrous tour to England in 2014. VVS Laxman added that the 2014 tour to England was the catalyst for the change we have seen in the Indian skipper.
Gambhir and Laxman discussed the growth of Virat Kohli as a Test cricketer in the latest edition of the Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
When asked if the horrendous tour to England in 2014 had amplified the drive and sheer passion for the Test format in Virat Kohli, Laxman replied in the affirmative. He added that Virat Kohli always had the drive and often sought valuable tips to improve his game. He said:
"Ya, definitely! That was the catalyst for the change we have seen in Virat Kohli, especially in Test match cricket. But I believe right from the first time I played with him in 2011 when he made his debut, he was always very driven. He came into the dressing and there were lot of seniors in the dressing room, always asking questions on how to improve his game, how to make sure that he coverts his talent and potential into performances."
Laxman lauded Virat Kohli for making a strong comeback after the disastrous series in England and for performing admirably in all the three formats of the game.
"But that 2014 series was very important. It was a miserable series. But to come back in such a fashion like the way he did in all the 3 formats, performing consistently and winning matches for India, maintaining high standards for himself is just incredible. He went to Australia and made those centuries and even in South Africa."
The 45-year-old also picked Virat Kohli's century in Birmingham on his tour to England in 2018 as his favourite innings of the current Indian captain.
"And then when he toured England again, the way he scored a hundred in Birmingham in the first innings, that is my favourite innings of Virat Kohli. That drive and passion was very evident right from the first time I saw him but that series was very important as far as being a catalyst for him to become a true superstar of world cricket."
Gautam Gambhir agreed that Virat Kohli had reinvented himself after that tour and also gave credit to MS Dhoni for backing him to the hilt.
"I totally agree with Laxman bhai. The sort of series it was in 2014, even I was there on that tour. You have to give credit to MS Dhoni because a lot of careers have ended after such a series, especially in one format. But he gave that kind of security to Virat Kohli plus his own eagerness."
Gambhir also heaped praise on Virat Kohli's mental resolve to bounce back from that setback and go on to master Test cricket.
"If he was a mentally weak player, he could have said after that tour that his focus will only be on white-ball cricket. If he gets to play Test cricket it is fine else he will focus just on the other two formats. But credit needs to be given that he gave importance to Test cricket and conquered it."
Virat Kohli's evolution since the 2014 England tour
Virat Kohli had a rather shocking tour of England in 2014. He managed to score just 134 runs in the 10 Test innings he played on that tour, at a lowly average of 13.4.
His troubles continued even in the ODI series that followed. He scored just 54 runs in the 4 innings he played, at a meagre average of 18.
However, he bounced back in telling fashion from this setback. During India's tour to Australia later that year, Virat Kohli amassed 692 runs in just 4 Test matches. These runs came at a Bradmanesque average of 86.5 and included 4 centuries.
Virat Kohli answered his critics in India's next tour to England in 2018. The Indian captain smashed 593 runs at an average of 59.3 to set the record straight.
Overall in his Test career, Virat Kohli has aggregated 7240 runs at an impressive average of 53.62.