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'Never imagined you'll be head coach and I would've played 100 Tests': Virat Kohli's heart-to-heart with Rahul Dravid
On the eve of the Test, Virat Kohli opened up on his heart-to-heart chat with India coach Rahul Dravid, aptly summing up the term 'life has come full circle'.
Two days ago, Virat Kohli set the mood for the India vs West Indies with a golden Instagram post featuring him and Rahul Dravid. It wasn't just any player-coach photo. There was plenty of history involved. In 2011, when India last played at the Windsor Park in Dominica – the venue for the 1st Test – Dravid was in his last leg of his career, while Kohli was the future. Long before he earned the moniker of King, it was in that game that Kohli made his Test debut for India. He had set the ODIs on fire, but was finding his feet in Test cricket. 12 years later, Kohli is a legend, and Dravid his coach.
The only two members from that tour in 2011, Kohli's post with Dravid post was a wonderful trip down memory lane for the ever-so-nostalgic Indian cricket fans. And now, as Kohli, now a veteran of 100 Tests, enters what many feel is an interesting phase of his career, the former India caption's mind harked back to 2011. Ahead of the series opener, he revealed the emotions behind the viral Instagram post and the rush of emotions he felt upon entering the ground that holds so much significance.
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"When we went to the dressing room and then practice, I kind of remembered my first series here as a Test player and this is the country where it all started – the Caribbean. And yeah, it is just amazing to be able to come back here 12 years later having played over 100 Test matches, I would never have imagined anything like this," Kohli said in a video shared by the BCCI.
'Life has come full circle', says Kohli
In the last 12 years, Kohli has gone from a promising youngster to arguably the best batter in the world, while Dravid tried out commentary, broadcasting, NCA chief before finally finding his calling in coaching. Having had successful stints with the India A and Under-19 teams, he replaced Ravi Shastri as coach in November of 2021, and although his tenure has been slightly underwhelming, Dravid is clearly the best man for the job. On the eve of the Test, Kohli opened up on his heart-to-heart chat with Dravid, aptly summing up the term 'life has come full circle'.
"I think his comment about him being a youngster in his coaching career is quite a humble one because he has been coaching for a long period of time now. I was his teammate at one point. He was a senior established Test player who we all looked up to. It's quite amazing. I told Rahul bhai yesterday as well that 'I'm sure you never would have imagined that 12 years later we would come back to the same venue and you'll be the head coach, while I would have played 100 games'. No one would have guessed that. So I am glad that we are the only two members from the last trip. Still here in different capacities but it's like life has come full circle. Our journeys have been quite amazing," Kohli mentioned.
