“He never played for second place” - Greg Chappell’s fitting tribute to Virat Kohli on his Test Retirement

Virat Kohli put a full stop to his glorious Test career yesterday and left his fans shocked all over the world. To acknowledge his contributions to the red-ball format, many fans, current and former cricketers, have already shared their heartwarming messages on social media.

The former Team India head coach and the Australian legend, Greg Chappell, is not an exception, as he claimed that Kohli might have eclipsed the former Team India great, Sachin Tendulkar, in terms of being an influential character in Indian cricket history.

In his column on ESPNcricinfo, Chappell wrote: “Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket marks the end of a thunderous era – a reign forged in grit, fire, and audacity. It closes the chapter on the most transformative figure in Indian cricket since Sachin Tendulkar; perhaps Kohli even eclipses him in terms of cultural influence and psychological impact on India’s cricketing identity.”

“He wanted Test cricket to thrive” - Greg Chappell on Virat Kohli

He also pointed out the difference that he observed between Kohli as the Team India leader with the previous skippers like Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni. “Kohli lit the fire. He tore the script and authored a new one, where India was not just competitive abroad but expected to win,“ he said.

Chappell also mentioned the change that Kohli brought to the team culture, and that eventually had a huge impact on the match results for them.

“He demanded excellence. He made fast bowling India’s weapon. He brought the yo-yo test into the cultural lexicon. He backed his bowlers, he stood up to bullies, and he never played for second place. He wanted Test cricket to thrive and knew that for India to be respected, they needed to dominate the hardest format,” he wrote.

Chappell also did not forget to explain the difference that Kohli managed to bring to Test cricket.
“He demanded excellence. He made fast bowling India’s weapon. He brought the yo-yo test into the cultural lexicon. He backed his bowlers, he stood up to bullies, and he never played for second place. He wanted Test cricket to thrive and knew that for India to be respected, they needed to dominate the hardest format,” Chappell wrote.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!