Kohli: “My personality is the new India,” says the cricket star

Virat Kohli: A Leader Who Embodies the “New India” in Cricket

The renowned cricketer, Virat Kohli, has chosen to define himself as a representative of the “new India”, one that faces challenges with determination, rather than accepting being labeled as the “most un-Australian Australian”. The anticipation surrounding Kohli during the Australian tour has been remarkable, with former players, newspapers, and television stations focusing on his impact and his absence in the three test matches.

Kohli is the most Australian non-Australian cricketer of all time.

Greg Chappell

Kohli, however, feels comfortable being himself. “I have always been myself,” he affirmed. “My personality and character reflect the new India, and that’s how I see it. It’s not about a comparison with the Australian mentality or anything like that.” For Kohli, this represents the evolution of the Indian cricket team, where the aim is to take on challenges and move forward with optimism. He also acknowledged that Australia welcomes those who excel in its territory. “It’s a wonderful place to play cricket,” Kohli said. “When you perform well, you earn the respect of the public.”

Kohli emphasized the importance of the public seeing India perform as a team, something that was a highlight in the last tour. “All external issues are not under our control. They are good for the publicity of the series, but our focus remains on how we can perform as a team,” he stated. In the absence of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane will take over the team’s leadership. Kohli highlighted the understanding and mutual respect they share, as well as the successful batting partnerships based on trust. “Jinks has done a tremendous job in the two practice matches. He seems very composed and knows our team’s strengths and how we should approach things,” Kohli noted. Kohli concluded by stating that the team’s effort is collective and that Rahane is ready to take on an important role as both a player and a captain. “I am sure he will do a tremendous job in my absence, but the focus remains, while I am here, to provide captaincy, leadership and performance as a player in the best possible way, and then I am quite sure that Jinks will do a tremendous job. I feel this is his moment to step up and perform to the fullest as an individual and also as a captain,” he concluded.