Virat Kohli’s tenure as India’s captain across all formats ended without an ICC trophy, but former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that doesn’t diminish his legacy as a leader.
Speaking to ‘Sports Yaari,’ Harbhajan emphasized that Kohli instilled a fighting spirit and a belief in taking on challenges head-on. He cited the heroic Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph in Australia in 2020-21 as an example.
Despite Kohli’s absence for the final three Tests due to the birth of his child, the team’s determination to chase down daunting targets and never give up was evident. Harbhajan attributed this mindset to Kohli’s influence.
“The fire that he ignited in the team, like it may be a target of 400 in the fourth innings of a Test, we’ll go for the chase, we won’t panic. If we go down, we do it while chasing,” Harbhajan said.
He highlighted the performances of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant in the fourth Test at the Gabba, where India chased down over 300 to clinch the series.
“That determination to fight till the end, which Shubman and Rishabh showed to win that Test in Gabba. It was because the way the team’s thinking changed,” Harbhajan concluded.
While Kohli may not have led India to an ICC trophy, Harbhajan believes his legacy as a captain lies in the fire and belief he instilled in the team, which continues to reap benefits today.
