Ravi Shastri has once again spoken highly of Virat Kohli, appreciating not just his batting but also the way his captaincy transformed Indian cricket. The Kohli-Shastri partnership is remembered as one of the most influential periods in the team’s history, a time when India reached new heights.
The Beginning of the Kohli-Shastri Era
Kohli took over India’s Test captaincy in 2014-15 after MS Dhoni’s sudden retirement from the format during the Australia tour. By 2017, the dynamic right-hander was leading the team in all formats, with Shastri stepping in as head coach.
Building a Fearless and Dominant Team
Together, Kohli and Shastri built a side that dominated at home and played bold, aggressive cricket overseas. During their time, India reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final, the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, and the first-ever ICC World Test Championship Final in 2021. Kohli’s team also held the No. 1 Test ranking for five consecutive years.
Kohli remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins from 68 matches. However, after failing to win an ICC trophy, he stepped down from captaincy in 2021-22. In 2024, he retired from T20Is after winning the ICC T20 World Cup, and in May 2025, he also bid farewell to Test cricket, leaving behind a legacy of unmatched intensity and success.
“Virat Kohli Did a Magnificent Job” -Ravi Shastri
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ravi Shastri said, “It was great. He (Kohli) was the one man I identified who will lead the team, and I wanted him to lead the team. Once I took over the job and once Dhoni had finished, and he did a magnificent job.”
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Highlighting Kohli’s batting, he added, “First, his skills as a batter, his ability to dominate, to be in the face, to play hard but play fair, and to want to win and take the game forward. I would say Kohli, the batter in his pomp, was unbelievable because in those five years, when India was No. 1 in the red ball format, some of the innings he played in Australia, South Africa, England, and across formats were unreal.”
Kohli’s Focus on ODI Cricket
Even though Virat Kohli has stepped away from Tests and T20Is, his passion for ODI cricket remains strong. He is now fully focused on the format and has already started preparing for India’s white-ball tour of Australia in October.
After the Bangladesh tour was postponed, Virat Kohli quickly returned to training. Recently, he was spotted working with Gujarat Titans assistant coach Naeem Amin. His long-term future in ODIs is still a subject of discussion. By the time the 2027 ODI World Cup arrives, he will be 39, and questions about his age and form are likely to grow.
Experience Still Key for India
Despite the uncertainty, Virat Kohli’s presence in the ODI setup is invaluable because of his experience and consistency. India’s upcoming tour of Australia, set for October 19 to 25, will give him another chance to remind the cricketing world why he is still regarded as the king of Indian ODI batting.
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