Virat Kohli: The Representative of a New India in Cricket
The renowned cricketer, Virat Kohli, has rejected the label of being the “most Australian non-Australian”. Instead, he identifies as a representative of a “new India”, which faces all challenges with determination.
The reception Kohli has received in Australia has been unprecedented. Former test players, newspapers, and television stations have focused on Kohli and the impact his absence will have on the three test matches he will not play.
Kohli is the most Australian non-Australian cricketer of all time.
Greg Chappell
Kohli, true to his style, prefers to be authentic. “I have always been myself,” Kohli stated. “My personality and character reflect the new India. For me, that’s how I see it. It’s not about comparing myself to the Australian mentality or anything similar.”
“For me, it’s about how we’ve started to stand out as the Indian cricket team. My personality has always been like this since day one. This represents the new India, where we want to face challenges and move forward with optimism and positivity, making sure we’re ready for any challenge that comes our way,” Kohli added.
Kohli acknowledged that Australia welcomes those who perform well on their soil. “I have been touring this place for many years and it is a wonderful place to play cricket,” Kohli said. “When you perform well here, you earn the respect of the public. Obviously, there will be anticipation and conversation about wanting to see you play. The same goes for Jasprit Bumrah. The last time he was here, he performed very well. Obviously, there will be anticipation and excitement to see him bowl. The same goes for me, I have been coming here for many years.”For the team, the most important thing is that the general public sees India performing as a team, which was the highlight of the last tour. The main focus remains that. All external things are not under their control, which is good for the series’ publicity, but the true and simple focus remains on how well they can perform as a team.
Knowing how the Indian team is, the others will be happy to go unnoticed and let Kohli take all the attention. That’s true for the man who will take over the team’s leadership when Kohli leaves. Ajinkya Rahane has a completely different personality from Kohli, but the India captain promised similar intensity once he’s gone.
“We’ve had a lot of understanding and mutual respect over the years,” Kohli said of his deputy. “We’ve had great partnerships batting together, which is based on trust and understanding of what is needed for the team. Jinks has done a tremendous job in the two practice matches. He seems to be very calm and knows the strengths of our team and how we should approach things.”
“Actually, the way we’ve played our cricket has been a collective effort from the whole team. It’s a cultural effort and it’s not just down to me planning things and presenting them to people. It’s the whole team that has bought in. You know the squad we play with and how we want to do things. We are absolutely on the same page.”
“I’m sure he’ll also do a tremendous job in my absence, but the focus remains on the time I’m here to provide captaincy, leadership, and player performances in the best way possible, and from then on I’m pretty sure Jinks will do a tremendous job. I’ve already said before that I feel this is his moment to really step up and perform strongly as an individual and also as a captain.”
