Virat Kohli led India through what many consider its most dominant era in Test cricket. Partnering with head coach Ravi Shastri, Kohli fostered an environment where India’s pace attack flourished, eventually becoming one of the world’s best. Under his leadership, India secured historic series victories in Australia and managed to draw a series in England.
Karn Sharma Reveals How Virat Kohli Changed Dressing Room Mentality
Kohli’s assertive captaincy style left a lasting impact on numerous players. Leg-spinner Karn Sharma, who made his Test debut in Kohli’s first match as captain during India’s 2014-15 tour of Australia, praised Kohli’s leadership. Karn noted that Kohli’s determination to win was evident right from his inaugural game as captain.
“We were chasing over 300 runs in that match and Virat said ‘no draw. We are going to chase it down. That injected a lot of positivity among players in the dressing room,” Karn recalled, speaking on ‘Second Innings with Manjot Kalra YouTube channel.
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Kohli’s Positive Approach Towards The Game
India had a huge target of 363 in that Test, the team led by Virat Kohli’s stellar knock of 141 off 175 balls. India tried to complete the run chase but fell short by 48 runs after the lower order collapsed.
“It was a different approach. Different captains have different approaches. But his words sent a wonderful indication to the players in the dressing room, that your captain has different plans,” added Karn.
“He always gave the impression that everything is fine. Through his preparations, fitness, mental approach, Kohli never appeared too bothered or was fretting over the fact that he had a bad Test series,” said Karn.
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Karn Sharma mentioned that poor form never bothered him and his mindset remained firm. Even though Kohli went through a rough patch during India’s tour to England, he eventually overcame that.
