“So much better when Kohli was playing” - Former captain’s massive claim ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain made a massive claim ahead of the first Test between England and India. The first Test began on Friday, June 20, and is being played at Headingley, Leeds.

Before the start of play on the opening day, Nasser Hussain spoke about former Indian captain Virat Kohli and how Test cricket was 'much better' when he was playing.

"Test match is so much better when Kohli was playing. We will move on. We moved on from Gavaskar to Tendulkar to Kohli and maybe to Gill, but Kohli added so much to this game of cricket. It was great to see what he said when won that IPL about Test match cricket and what he told the next generation that that there is where you make your name," he said (via Sky Sports Cricket's Instagram account).

Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12. Nasser Hussain also spoke about a moment that stuck with him the most about Kohli.

"The one that stuck with me the most was in the huddle that last morning at Lord's when England were trying to chase down a score and he was in the huddle pointing at every Indian player telling them to unleash hell on that England batting line-up for 60 overs and that is exactly what his side did. They unleashed hell and became a mirror image of Kohli the character. The fiestiness of Siraj, Bumrah in your face, Shami in your face," he added.

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A look at Virat Kohli's Test career

Virat Kohli made his Test debut for India in 2011 against the West Indies. He went on to play 123 Tests and piled on 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 hundreds and 31 fifties.

Kohli took over as captain of the longest format in 2014 mid-way through the series in Australia when MS Dhoni announed his retirement from red-ball cricket. Kohli displayed his approach right-away as captain, slamming hundreds in both the innings of the Adelaide Test.

To date, he is India's most successful Test captain. He led the side in 68 games and won 40 of those with a win percentage of 58.82. Kohli brough about a change in the way India played the format, as they went on to win games and series overseas as well.

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Edited by Parag Jain