Former Indian cricketer and ex-head coach Ravi Shastri has hailed Virat Kohli as the greatest player he has ever had the privilege to coach. Shastri reminisced about Kohli’s extraordinary performances in the SENA nations during his tenure as head coach, describing them as ‘unreal’. When questioned about any regrets during his coaching stint with India, Shastri confidently stated that he had ‘no regrets at all’.
The era under Shastri and Kohli was marked by a period of dominance in Test cricket, particularly at home. Together, they cultivated a formidable pace attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav. The years from 2016 to 2019 can be regarded as Kohli’s zenith as a batsman and leader. Shastri, who helmed the Indian cricket team from 2017 to 2021, shed light on the unique qualities of Kohli that transformed him into a run-scoring machine during his prime.
“I would say Kohli, at the peak of his batting prowess, was exceptional because during those five years when India held the top spot in Test cricket, some of the innings he played in Australia, South Africa, England, in various formats, were extraordinary. When I took over the reins after Dhoni’s tenure, he did a remarkable job. His core batting skills, his aggressive style, his fair play, and his unwavering desire to win and drive the team forward were truly exceptional,” Shastri expressed to Sky Sports.
Despite boasting a powerhouse squad, India under Shastri’s guidance fell short of clinching an ICC trophy, despite coming close on multiple occasions. The Men in Blue reached the semi-finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup (lost to New Zealand by 18 runs) and finished as runners-up in the 2019-21 World Test Championship cycle (lost to New Zealand by eight wickets). Additionally, they were defeated by Pakistan in the finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy.
During the period from 2016 to 2019, Kohli amassed a total of 10,603 runs in 164 international matches (186 innings). Remarkably, his batting average stood at a stunning 71.16 across all formats in international cricket.
