"He had the same passion in age-group cricket" - Dilip Vengsarkar speaks highly of Virat Kohli

Team India skipper Virat Kohli likes to have his heart on his sleeve and doesn't shy away from picking a battle against opponents. The plot was ready for Kohli to take center stage at Lord's and the talismanic leader grabbed the opportunity with both hands. An aggressive Kohli led from the front as the visitors thumped England by 151 runs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

Meanwhile, Kohli's brand of cricket has earned him mixed reactions from experts. On one hand, former England captain Michael Vaughan is an advocate of Virat Kohli's aggression, while on the other, former batsman Nick Compton recently labeled the India skipper a foul-mouthed cricketer.

Recently, former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar, who fast-tracked Virat Kohli into the national team, stated that the Delhi-born cricketer played with the same intensity even in age-group cricket.

Speaking to the Khaleej Times, the former chairman of the selectors said:

“I saw the same passion in him on the field when he was playing the Under 16 BCCI tournament. I was the chairman of the Talent Resource Development Wing of the BCCI back then.

“I liked his passion for the game and besides, of course, his talent and mental toughness. Then I watched him in under-19 matches also. So he has always been very passionate about cricket. He always wanted to win matches," he added.

There's literally no substitute to hard work. pic.twitter.com/bvN4BevnEg

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) August 23, 2021

"That way he brings out the best out of himself and teammates" - Dilip Vengsarkar on Virat Kohli's aggression

Time and again Virat Kohli has been compared to former captain MS Dhoni, who is known for his calm and composed nature on the ground. Dilip Vengsarkar stressed that Dhoni and Virat Kohli are two individuals with different personalities, and that aggression brings out the best in the current Indian skipper.

“Of course, everybody cannot be a Dhoni. And similarly, Dhoni cannot be Kohli and Kohli cannot Joe Root," Dilip Vengsarkar said.

“Everybody has a different personality and every captain has a different way of motivating players. Even MS Dhoni is aggressive, but he didn’t show it. Kohli has been showing it since his under 19 days. That’s the way he brings the best out of himself and his teammates," he added.

The third Test between India and England will kick off on Wednesday at Headingley in Leeds.