How Important Was MS Dhoni In Virat Kohli Becoming 'King' Kohli?

Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (Source: AFP)

The face of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, is regarded as one of the most prolific and successful batters in the sport’s history. Making his debut on August 18, 2008, Kohli quickly went on to dominate world cricket for the longest time.

However, like any great player, Virat also had his fair share of ups and downs. Nonetheless, during these times, he received undisputed support from another legend, MS Dhoni, who was the Indian captain when young Kohli made his international debut.

Whenever an opportunity arose, the two legendary figures showered each other with admiration and respect. Kohli has, time and again, openly credited the former Indian captain for backing him even in the toughest of times.

That being said, in this article, let’s explore how important MS Dhoni has been in helping Virat Kohli become ‘King Kohli’.

How Virat Kohli survived despite initial inconsistency  

Fresh after leading India to victory in the U-19 World Cup, Kohli earned a surprise call-up to the national side. He was a relatively inexperienced 19-year-old with only a handful of List A matches under his belt.

Three years after having made his debut for India in white-ball cricket, Kohli got a look-in to the Test side in 2011. However, his initial few days were not smooth, and the youngster could hardly manage any runs against a side like West Indies. He was subsequently dropped from the team for the England match.

However, the same year, he was considered for the home series against West Indies, where he hit two half-centuries in the only game he played, and the performance earned him a place in the side touring Australia. 

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The start to the Australia tour in 2011-2012, was horrible to say the least. In the four innings across Melbourne and Sydney, a young Virat scored 11, 0, 23 and 9.

Dhoni’s support to Kohli in early career

For any cricketer, that would have been the end of the tour, but the then captain MS Dhoni was an astute leader with an eye for spotting talent, and he decided to back the youngster.

In 2020, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, speaking on the Sony Sports Network, revealed that Kohli was on the verge of being dropped from the team, but MS Dhoni decided against it.

The 23-year-old followed the grim outings with scores of 44 and 75 in Perth and then a maiden Test century in the final Test in Adelaide in 2012. On a tour when India were hammered 4-0 in the Test series, Virat Kohli had turned out to be a find of the series, thanks to Dhoni.

Notably, this is one of the many instances when Dhoni backed Kohli, shielding him from being dropped.

Dhoni’s role in helping Kohli’s tactical development and role clarity

MS Dhoni acted as a virtual mentor to Virat Kohli, meticulously grooming him for captaincy by encouraging him to constantly share tactical inputs during matches. 

Dhoni provided Kohli with role clarity by establishing him as the anchor in limited-overs chases and refining his decision-making regarding bowling changes and match-closing strategies.

In 2020, the star Indian batter, in a chat with R. Ashwin, revealed that Dhoni played a role in getting him the India captaincy.

"From the day I came into the Indian side, I wanted to learn and was intrigued by the game. I would always be in Dhoni's ears on the field. I would be bouncing off a lot of my ideas with him, of which he would refuse plenty.”

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“But he would also discuss a few things with me if he liked an idea. He would always keep observing me. I kept learning from him, and my inquisitiveness probably gave him the belief and confidence that perhaps I was the next guy to lead the country," Kohli said.

Kohli has stated that his appointment as captain was the result of a deliberate, long-term grooming process in which MS Dhoni observed his tactical acumen and recommended him to the selectors.

"I don't think the selectors appointed me as India captain suddenly. They probably had Dhoni as a sounding board before giving me the reins. I believe Dhoni played a big role in me getting the India captaincy," Kohli added.

Virat’s Fire and Dhoni’s Calm: Partners in winning causes for India

Virat Kohli was the yang to MS Dhoni’s yin when it comes to captaining the Indian side. While Dhoni has always shown calm and composure under pressure, Kohli is known for his aggressive approach in order to drive his teammates on.

Despite their distinctive styles, Kohli has shown immense admiration for his predecessor.

When Kohli took over as Test captain in 2014-15, MS Dhoni seamlessly shifted to playing under him across all formats. This mutual trust and respect avoided controversies and ensured stability in the dressing room.

Together, they were nearly unstoppable during run-chases. Kohli’s calculated pacing of the innings perfectly complemented Dhoni’s aggressive stroke-play and running between the wickets.

In 2016, their 151-run stand against New Zealand in Mohali highlighted how beautifully they managed the middle order when batting together.

How much credit does MS Dhoni deserve for Virat Kohli’s career?

In conclusion, there’s no denying that Dhoni’s support was a decisive stabiliser that materially eased external pressure, kept doors open, and fostered an environment conducive to Kohli’s tactical and mental building into the ‘King’ of modern cricket and one of India’s most notable captains.

While it didn’t “single-handedly” create Virat Kohli’s success, it sure gave him the freedom to rebuild in tough phases.

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