How Kohli-Shastri partnership made India an overseas force

When Virat Kohli reflects on his Test career, it is likely he will look at his partnership with former coach Ravi Shastri with great pride.

- Sanjeev K Samyal

MUMBAI: When Virat Kohli reflects on his Test career, it is likely he will look at his partnership with former coach Ravi Shastri with great pride. The two, captain and coach, proved to be a perfect fit -- aggressive, not ready to take a backward step, showing no hesitation in taking strong decisions.

Extroverts both, they would provoke the opposition, even ruffle the feathers in their own dressing room to keep players on their toes, but their success means the Kohli-Shastri era will go down as the golden period of India's Test team -- the high point being the 2018-19 series win in Australia, with India becoming the first Asian team to beat Australia at home.

Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, marking an end to an illustrious 14-year-old career, and Shastri, who served as India's head coach during most of Kohli's captaincy tenure, lauded his career. "Can't believe you are done. You are a modern-day GIANT and were a fantastic ambassador for Test match cricket in every way you played and captained. Thank you for the lasting memories you've given to everyone, and to me in particular. It's something I will cherish for life. Go well, champ," Shastri posted on social media.

The two first worked together when the former India all-rounder took over as the director of Indian cricket team for a period of eight months from India's tour of England till the 2015 World Cup. Kohli was coming off a disastrous 2014 tour of England where he averaged 13.40 in five Tests.