New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) India’s Test captain Virat Kohli has said he never dreamt of taking up the mantle of captaincy at a young age, and added that as a kid he only dreamt of playing in the biggest format of the game for his country.
Kohli, 26, was named the captain of the Test team after the sudden retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from the longest format of the game during India’s series against Australia last year.
Dhoni retired after the third Test in Melbourne of a four-match series. Australia won the series 2-0 but Kohli was one of the most prominent performers of the series, scoring runs and leading the team with an aggressive intent.
“Honestly, I was not able to think that I am going to be the Test captain now. I never expected this to happen. Honestly, if you asked me when I started playing cricket that at 26 I will be Test captain of India. No chance,” Kohli was quoted as saying by thecricketmonthly.com on Tuesday.
“My only dream was to play Test cricket for India. It is amazing how all those feelings as a young kid, playing club cricket, playing school cricket, playing state cricket, all those memories start flashing in your head. It was surreal.”
Kohli backed Ravi Shastri as the team director, saying that his presence is a massive boost for the side.
Shastri, who took on the role of the team director after the Test series against England last year, was given an extension till the upcoming Bangladesh tour.
“He is a guy who does not shy away from responsibility. He is someone who takes the blows on the chin. He keeps moving forward,” Kohli said.
“We would love to have him on board even if he is doing the same job right now. Just to have him around the group is a massive boost for us. To have him around the group in some way would be lovely. To have the head coach or who to have and what to do about is all part of the discussion when we sit down,” he said.
India’s Test captain said the team has the ability to be the best in the world.
“I strongly want to see the Indian team dominate for at least five or six years. We certainly have the talent. We certainly have the ability. All that it will take is how you manage that and keep them together,” the 26-year-old concluded.