Virat Kohli’s sudden retirement from Test cricket surprised everyone. He announced his decision before the tour of England last year, and many felt that he still had time to contribute to the Indian National Cricket Team. Former India skipper Kapil Dev was taken aback when he heard about the surprising news, as the veteran thought Virat could have carried on for a few more years. In his recent interview with Sports Tak, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain once again opined on Kohli’s absence from the longest format of the game.
The legendary all-rounder also compared Kohli with tennis great John McEnroe, saying both of them needed conflict to give their best performances.
“It is not about scoring 10,000 runs,” Kapil said. “I feel if Virat Kohli could have controlled his anger for six months, he would have had a chance to play for India. Once you stop playing for the country, there is no going back. You can only talk about it,” he added.
Kohli even competed in the Ranji Trophy after the BCCI made it mandatory for the centrally contracted players in order to be a part of the Indian team in red-ball cricket. Despite putting in all the hard work, he gave up without any indication. According to reports, the selectors had informed Virat that his place in the team wasn’t guaranteed and everything would depend on his performance and current form.
In one of his interviews, the right-handed batter stated that it was better to walk away rather than stay in an environment where he was not valued.
Kapil still believes that top athletes shouldn’t make decisions in a hurry, despite being on the wrong side of the administrative calls.
“When you are active in sports, don’t make decisions in anger,” Kapil explained.
“I think he must have thought about it. We feel he still had time. If you are not getting picked, there is no problem. You should go back to domestic cricket and perform. The likes of Mohinder Amarnath, Anshuman Gaekwad, and others did. He is performing in the Indian Premier League and has the ability to carry on in Test cricket. He can still play. I was disappointed when he bid adieu as he went away before time.”
Virat Kohli is like John McEnroe, says Kapil Dev
Kapil sided with Kohli when it comes to aggression, as he feels that players like him need to show their emotions to be among the runs. “From outside, we feel he is always charged up. But there are players who need to pick up a fight to show their performances, and there is nothing wrong if they feel so. Kohli reminds me of John McEnroe because he couldn’t give his best until he fought.”
Kapil also gave examples of Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar.
“Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Rahul Dravid put their heads down and only care about their performances. However, some of the players are very aggressive, and they need it to win matches. McEnroe would pick fights with the referee and players. I couldn’t do that. You feel Virat should calm down a bit, but perhaps his aggression makes his performance better.”
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