"He has made the DNA of this team" - Aakash Chopra on the 5 things that defined Virat Kohli as captain

Virat Kohli has an exceptional record as India's Test skipper

Aakash Chopra has picked five unique characteristics that have defined Virat Kohli's reign as Team India's Test skipper.

Kohli has decided to relinquish the Indian team's Test captaincy after being at the helm of affairs for seven years. This brings his era as skipper to an end, with the 33-year-old having already stepped down and removed as the Men in Blue's captain in T20Is and ODIs respectively.

Aakash Chopra picked Virat Kohli's preference to play with five bowlers in all conditions and on rank turners at home as his first distinct trait. He elaborated in a video shared on his YouTube channel:

"Firstly, he said that he will play five bowlers even if fewer runs are scored and all the onus is on him. He played on bowler-friendly surfaces, there was no stat padding. He never said to play on flat pitches, if anything he would have played on more bowler-friendly pitches. He has made the DNA of this team."

The former India opener highlighted that Kohli's emphasis on fitness was another thing that set him apart. Chopra explained:

"The second thing he did was to say that fitness is going to be absolutely paramount. It is the same for everyone, if someone remains out, he doesn't care because if we need to become the best team in the world, we need to be the fittest. Fitness has become fashionable in Kohli's era."

Aakash Chopra also lauded Virat Kohli for leading by example and prioritizing Test cricket. He pointed out:

"The third thing is that he led by example. He did whatever he said, walking the talk every single time. He always prioritized Test cricket, he left the other formats if he had to take a break but always played Test cricket. He has made Test cricket fascinating and romantic."

Kohli has spoken about his love for the longest format of the game on multiple occasions. Many cricket experts believe the outgoing Indian skipper's passion for Test cricket has kept the format alive.

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"Virat Kohli instilled aggression in this team" - Aakash Chopra

Virat Kohli is known to be aggressive on the field of play

Aakash Chopra spoke highly of Virat Kohli's in-your-face attitude on and off the cricket field. He observed:

"My fourth point is his aggression. He might have crossed the line at times but you rather go over than under. He gave it back a hundred percent, whether in the press conference or on the guy's face. He instilled aggression in this team."

The 44-year-old concluded by highlighting that the outgoing Indian skipper was not ready to settle for a draw but was willing to risk a loss in his quest for a win. Chopra said:

"Last but not the least, instilling the winning culture. His biggest win as captain was the emphasis on winning. He was not afraid of losing but wanted to try his best for a win, draw is not a possibility."

Aakash Chopra cited the example of the drawn Kanpur Test against New Zealand to substantiate his point. He highlighted that Ajinkya Rahane left the declaration too late and that an Indian team under Virat Kohli would have made the Kiwis bat much earlier.