"Most transformative figure in Indian cricket since Sachin Tendulkar" - Ex-Aussie skipper pays glowing tribute to Virat Kohli after Test retirement

Former India head coach Greg Chappell has paid a rich tribute to Virat Kohli following the latter’s retirement from Tests on Monday, May 12. The 76-year-old called Kohli the most transformative figure after legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

The former Aussie skipper credited the Delhi batter for ruling the format for a decade, adding that his absence has filled a void in the longest format of the game.

Greg Chapell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo:

“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.”

“Kohli, the incandescent heart of Indian cricket for over a decade, did not just score runs. He redefined expectations, challenged conventions, and symbolised the self-assured, unapologetic India of the 21st century. His departure leaves not only a statistical void but a seismic shift in energy, for there has never been another quite like him,” he added.

Chappell added that Kohli was the most Australian non-Aussie player while placing him in the same brackets as former India skippers Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni. He wrote:

“Sourav Ganguly gave Indian cricket a new spine. MS Dhoni brought ice-cold leadership and white-ball dominance. But Kohli? 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 was the most Australian non-Australian cricketer we've ever seen - a snarling warrior in whites, never giving an inch, always demanding more. Not just of his bowlers, his fielders or his opposition, but first and foremost, of himself."

Virat Kohli remains India's most successful Test captain with 40 victories in 68 matches, comprising 11 draws.

Greg Chappell lauds Virat Kohli's fightback in England in 2018 after the 2014 setback

Chappell further lauded Virat Kohli for his fightback against England in the 2018 tour following his struggles during the 2014 tour. On this, he wrote:

“The two Test series that define Kohli's legacy - and indeed his character - came in England and Australia, the most traditional arenas of cricketing greatness. In 2014, England exposed a glaring vulnerability. Anderson haunted him with late swing, and Kohli's technique and mindset unravelled. But failure for Kohli was fertiliser. He didn't complain. He rebuilt.”

Chappell continued:

“His return to England in 2018 was the stuff of redemption mythology. The ghosts were not only exorcised, they were humiliated. If England was redemption, Australia in 2018-19 was a coronation. India had never won a Test series in Australia. Kohli, now captain, led a team that believed it could - and did.”

“No Indian captain had ever marshalled a team to such commanding overseas dominance. And no batter since Tendulkar had so unequivocally ruled in every continent,” he added.

Virat Kohli finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer for Team India in Test cricket, only behind Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar. The Men in Blue will have a huge void to fill ahead of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.