Published 20:50 IST, March 1st 2021
Waugh hails Kohli for instilling 'anything is achievable & possible' attitude in team
Steve Waugh, in his latest documentary Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh in India, described Indian skipper Virat Kohli as the ''modern-day hero''.
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Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh has heaped praises on Indian batting star Virat Kohli, saying the attitude of the captain has ''instilled'' belief in the team that helps them overcome the hardest of hurdles without getting intimidated. Waugh, in his latest documentary Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh in India, described Kohli as the ''modern-day hero'', hailing the current Indian skipper for changing the mindset of the entire team. Waugh said Kohli's attitude is like ''new India'', which is if you get stuck don't get intimidated and just take on everything.
'Talent & intelligence was always there'
"What they love about Kohli is that it's like the new attitude of India, get stuck in, don't be intimidated. Take everything on and anything is achievable and possible. But he's like the modern-day hero," said Waugh in a documentary on Discovery +.
Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, who is credited for his incredible contributions to Indian cricket post-retirement, also talked about the changing mindset of the Indian national cricket team. Dravid said the talent and intelligence were always there, but now that has been backed up by a strong system that brings the best out of players. Ever since Virat Kohli took charge of the Indian national cricket team, it is said the unit has become hungrier than ever, especially because of the fiery attitude of the captain on the field.
Under Kohli's captaincy, India won its first-ever Test tournament in Australia in 2018-19, against a team that is known for intimidating the opposition with their continuous banter and other tactics. The self-belief in the team is currently so strong that they managed to win their second-ever Test series in Australia this year, and that too, without some of India's key players, including Kohli, Bumrah, Shami, Ishant, Jadeja, Ashwin.
The Indian team will play its fourth and final Test match against England starting March 4 in Ahmedabad. India needs to win or draw the series in order to qualify for the first-ever final of the World Test Championship. India is currently on top of the points table, but if England wins the fourth match, third-placed Australia will slip into the final against New Zealand. Virat Kohli and his men will be looking to replicate what they did in the second and third Test matches of the ongoing series after losing the first game.
(With inputs from ANI)
20:11 IST, March 1st 2021