"He was a movement" - Former India coach's massive praise for Virat Kohli amid AUS vs IND 2025 series

Former Team India head coach Greg Chappell has held massive praise for Virat Kohli for being an outstanding ODI player over the years. Chappell credited the Indian legend for transforming the ODI side into a world-beating one both home and away by bringing in a warrior's mindset.

One of the best 50-overs batters produced in history, the veteran cricketer developed himself into a run-machine when he became a regular fixture in the side in late 2010. The 36-year-old is currently the third-highest run-getter in ODIs and the highest century-maker in the format, aggregating 51 of them.

Writing in his column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell called the right-handed batter a movement and stated:

"Kohli was never just a batter, he was a movement. He arrived on the ODI scene in 2008 with raw promise, and by 2017, when he was full-time captain in the format, he had seized the reins of a side in transition and reshaped it. He brought what few dared to - a warrior's mindset. He turned India's ODI side into a sharp, focused and supremely fit unit that played to win, home or away."

The 77-year-old also pointed out the star cricketer's selflessness, claiming that it set the statement for the leadership and keeping team's cause ahead of individual ones.

"But what truly set him apart, even from the legends who came before him, was his detachment from personal statistics. While the world raved about centuries and aggregates, Kohli cared only about the outcome. He once said that he played for India, not for records - a statement that defined his leadership. Individual feats were often the focal point of India's cricketing narrative; Kohli sought something larger. His currency was legacy, not numbers."

Under the Delhi-born cricketer, the Indian team went on to win 65 matches out of the 95 ODIs he captained. It was also under his captaincy that the Men in Blue won their first bilateral ODI series Down Under in 2019.

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"He made it cool again to care about playing in whites" - Greg Chappell on Virat Kohli

Greg Chappell coached India from 2005 to 2007. (Image Credits: Getty)

Chappell also wrote how Kohli and Rohit Sharma seamlessly transitioned themselves to Test cricket and dominated the sport, regardless of the format. He added:

"But beyond individual brilliance in ODIs lay something rarer: their love of and devotion to Test cricket. Kohli wasn't shy about it - he spoke often, and passionately, about the purity of the format. He made it cool again to care about playing in whites. Rohit, through his transformation, showed that Test cricket rewards those who respect its tempo. In an age where players often chase leagues, fame, and IPL contracts, Kohli and Rohit were naturals who became the face of their franchises for over a decade. No matter the format, they dominated. They were never trying to be viral. They were trying to be vital."

The current ODI series against Australia is likely to be the final tour Down Under for the prolific duo. The Delhi-born batter has bagged two ducks in as many ODIs, marking rare failures for him in the format.