Kohli’s passion and leadership redefined India’s test approach, says ex-England captain Hussain.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has paid glowing tribute to Virat Kohli following the Indian icon’s retirement from Test cricket, describing him as a transformative figure who redefined the nation’s approach to the longest format.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Hussain said Kohli’s impact extended far beyond his statistics — though those alone are remarkable. The 36-year-old walked away from Test cricket on Monday having scored 9,230 runs across 123 matches, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer in India’s illustrious Test history. His record as captain is equally commanding: 40 wins from 68 matches — a winning ratio unmatched in Indian cricket.
“I have been a massive Virat Kohli fan over the last 14 years,” Hussain said. “His stats speak for themselves — over 9,000 runs, 29 centuries — but he was so much more than numbers. It was his aura, his swagger, his passion that set him apart.”
Kohli’s retirement came just days after captain Rohit Sharma also stepped away from red-ball cricket, marking the end of an era for Indian Test cricket. But where Sharma was cool and composed, Kohli was fire and fury — and that, says Hussain, is what lifted Indian cricket to new heights.
“India’s attitude changed under Kohli,” Hussain continued. “He wanted them to be fitter, faster, more aggressive. He wanted them to go to Australia and win, to go to England and compete, not just turn up and play out a draw.”
Indeed, Kohli’s leadership heralded India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018–19, and he was instrumental in developing a fast-bowling core that rivalled any in the world. From Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami to Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav, Kohli backed pace over spin when the conditions demanded it — a revolutionary stance for Indian cricket.
Off the field, Kohli’s discipline and dedication set standards for a new generation of Indian cricketers. His obsession with fitness, his refusal to compromise on fielding intensity, and his intense commitment to team success over personal milestones became hallmarks of his era.
“You’d watch him in the field, screaming, charging, fists pumping. That’s the kind of passion that inspires teams,” Hussain said. “Opposition players fed off that energy too — sometimes against him — but he always made things happen.”
Kohli’s departure leaves a significant void not just in India’s batting lineup but in the leadership dynamic of the team. Though he relinquished the captaincy in 2022, he remained a spiritual and emotional leader in the dressing room.
His final Test came earlier this year against England, fittingly at home, where he made a fluent 78 in his final innings — a reminder of the class that defined his career.
With both Kohli and Rohit stepping down, a new era begins for Indian cricket. Young players like Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ishan Kishan are tipped to form the spine of the next generation, but Hussain believes the shadow of Kohli will loom large.
“His boots are huge to fill,” he said. “Whoever takes over needs to understand what Kohli built — not just a team, but a belief system.”
India now prepares to face England at Headingley on June 20 in what will be the first Test of the new cycle. Kohli won’t be there, but the legacy he leaves behind will be.
