Former head coach Ravi Shastri, known for his transformation of the Indian cricket team, recently shared more about his vision for the team's success and his early recognition of Virat Kohli's leadership potential.

In a candid interview with Michael Atherton, Ravi Shastri shares insights into his partnership with Virat Kohli, highlighting their shared passion for Test cricket and the aggressive, fearless culture of the game.

When he first took over as coach, Shastri described Kohli as a “diamond in the rough”, appreciating his raw talent and leadership qualities. He went beyond individual brilliance and tried to develop a team-oriented approach, with Kohli at the helm. Although MS Dhoni initially remained captain, Shastri revealed, “My eyes are on him (Kohli). »

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The Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli era

Their shared philosophy led to the creation of a “free for all” training environment where bowlers were encouraged to push themselves and batsmen were not afraid to fight. Ravi Shastri praised Virat Kohli’s willingness to take this tough approach, saying: “He was the first to adopt it; he was fully prepared to look bad on the network.

Despite the ICC's lack of major trophies, the Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli era laid a strong foundation for Indian cricket. Virat Kohli, under the leadership of Shastri, led the team to historic overseas Test victories, including a series victory in Australia. They reached the semi-finals in most of the ICC tournaments and maintained their dominance in the bilateral series and home Tests.

Ravi Shastri highlights Kohli's opinion will embraces the challenge and an unwavering commitment to aggressive play, which reflects his own coaching philosophy. He said: “We created a situation where everyone could play online… and the way of thinking changed. »