Nasser Hussain lauds Virat Kohli for inducing fearlessness and aggression in team India

Over the years Indians were known to be moderate, someone who didn’t have enough quality and aggression to peg back their opponent. But this Indian team under Virat Kohli is different. The team can win against any opposition, and in any conditions. One of the hallmarks of this team is ruthless aggression. The team is never going to take a step back and is always up to have a word or few with their opposition. It seems the team thrive on these banters as most often not they come out on top.

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Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has lauded Indian skipper Virat Kohli for inducing this fearlessness in the Indian team, adding Kohli is the right man at the right time to lead this formidable India.

“Virat Kohli is the right man at the right time to lead this formidable India side. His players, in particular the bowlers, want an aggressive captain. They want Kohli stirring things up, as he did so effectively in that brilliant second Test at Lord’s," he wrote.

“Jasprit Bumrah has always seemed, to me a quiet and reserved character off the field, but look at the way he attacked and went after Jimmy Anderson on that third evening.”

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Nasser Hussain revealed former India coach Duncan Fletcher once told him that Virat Kohli is someone who wants to win at all costs. The 53-year-old added that competitiveness comes naturally to Kohli who doesn’t mind sledging his own teammates while playing football.

“Kohli’s aggression is aimed at winding up the opposition and he gets under the skin of every team he plays against. I’m sure most don’t particularly like playing against him and English supporters won’t particularly like him but he won’t care a jot about that."

“I remember speaking to Duncan Fletcher about Kohli when he was India coach and he just told me he was a winner. At almost any cost, too.”

“You just have to watch him playing football with his team before play to see how competitive their captain gets. He doesn’t mind sliding in with the odd wild tackle, that’s for sure. He is so driven. Nothing sums that up better than the sight of Kohli in a white-ball run-chase because he sees the end goal and he won’t let any bowler get in his way.”

Kohli was highly active in the second Test and was involved in a few banters with James Anderson and some other English players. At the end of the match, KL Rahul had said if the opposition has a go at one of their players, referring to Jasprit Bumrah, the team will hunt them down as a pack.