(PTI Photo)

Virat Kohli’s decision to step down as India’s Test captain was a major surprise to both his fans and the cricketing community. At the time of his departure, he was India’s most successful Test captain, having achieved 40 wins and surpassing MS Dhoni’s record of 27. During his leadership, Kohli excelled, amassing 5,864 runs at an impressive average of 54.80.

In 2022, following a challenging tour of South Africa, Kohli chose to step down, with Rohit Sharma taking over as captain. However, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has since suggested that Kohli could have remained in the role for a longer period.

“I personally feel that he should have continued for longer as a Test captain because he probably captained India in 65 Test matches, and one of the things I feel is that he could have probably continued as a Test captain for a longer period,” Bangar said on the Rao podcast.

Bangar, who has collaborated closely with Kohli both with the Indian team and in the IPL, noted that Kohli was highly committed to achieving positive results for the team in challenging overseas conditions.

“Virat was driven with the fact that India had to improve their performances overseas. Because in India we knew that whether anybody is there or not, with all due respect to the opposition, if you come to India, India is winning 75 per cent of the time. You’ll really have to play poorly to lose in India,” he added.

Kohli has been a key catalyst in promoting fitness within the Indian team. During his tenure as captain, he sparked a fitness revolution in Indian cricket, inspiring his teammates to adopt his rigorous standards. Bangar disclosed that Kohli constantly pushed himself to maximize his potential.

“He himself achieved enormous levels of fitness and challenged his physical limits to the hilt. He worked the hardest. I think he scored the maximum runs during that period as a captain and he had that drive,” Bangar concluded.