Virat Kohli had at least a couple of years as Indian captain, was surprised with his decision: Bharat Arun

Virat Kohli’s resignation as Test captain was nothing short of a bombshell for the cricket world. A day after India’s 1-2 defeat against South Africa earlier this month, the talismanic cricketer took to social media platforms and made the major announcement. Notably, Kohli, with 40 wins in 68 Tests, finished as India’s most successful Test skipper and fourth-most successful overall in the purest format.

However, many reckon that the 33-year-old still could have continued in the role for few more years. India’s former bowling coach Bharat Arun is also of the same opinion. Saying that he was surprised by Kohli’s decision, Arun, who’s tenure with the national team ended following the T20 World Cup 2021, recalled that the batter would often talk about how passionate he is to lead the side.

Virat Kohli wanted India to be a dominating force in the world: Bharat Arun

“I was personally surprised that Virat had given up captaincy because every time we had dialogues he was so passionate about leading the country. He wanted India to be a dominating force in the world and I thought he had set a wonderful foundation,” Arun was quoted as saying by News9. Meanwhile, Arun also believes Kohli could have led the Test team for a couple of years.

“I personally feel that Virat had at least a couple of years to captain the country,” Arun told News9. Notably, Arun is credited for India’s emergence as a formidable pace-bowling unit. He worked with the national team in two stints – 2014-15 and 2017-21 – and is well versed with the captaincy styles of MS Dhoni and Kohli. He even said that the job of Indian skipper is only second to the prime minister as far as handling pressure is concerned.

“I watched MS Dhoni, the coolest mind you could ever have. Nothing fazes him. If you have a mind that is cool, calm, calculative … that is the best state to take decisions on the go, because the decisions have to be very dynamic. You are making decisions on the go. Next to the Prime Minister, the Indian captain is the most enviable job in the country, so I think somebody who can take the pressure [is the right fit],” he added.