'Indian cricket needed some aggression because...': Former India batting coach compares Virat Kohli with Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘angry young man’ character

Former India cricketer lavished praise on batting great Virat Kohli for his contributions in the gentlemen's game, drawing a fascinating parallel between Virat Kohli’s fiery on-field persona to Amitabh Bachchan’s legendary “angry young man” roles that defined Bollywood in the 1970s. Kohli, who is known for his aggressive approach on the field, never hesitated to confront opponents and constantly kept the pressure on them.

During Kohli's tenure as a captain, Team India adapted an aggressive approach in Test cricket, securing a historic series win in Australia, challenging strongly in England and South Africa, and building the belief that the team could succeed anywhere in the world.

“Virat Kohli has a natural character, like brash, in your face, and that was his natural character. A natural character always feels right. Why did Amitabh Bachchan's films work in the 1975-1980 era? It was because there was this thought of an angry young man, and in the Indian society, anger was somewhere simmering,” Bangar said on DD Sports.

Bangar, who was India's batting coach from 2014 to 2019, believes that Kohli's aggressive approach in the game arrived at a crucial moment for Indian cricket. With the 'Fab Four' (Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly) retired, the team faced a leadership and identity gap.

ALSO READ: WATCH: MS Dhoni makes acting debut, turns action hero onscreen alongside R Madhavan in upcoming thriller 'The Chase'

ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal's sparkling fifty goes in vain as Central Zone qualifies for Duleep Trophy 2025 final on first innings lead after draw with West

“Indian cricket needed some aggression because our fabulous four had retired, and Kohli had to take cricket forward, which he did in his own style. He changed India's image completely in how they approach Test cricket,” Bangar added.

Kohli announced his retirement earlier this year, in May 2025, before the five-Test match series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England. The modern-day great bid adeau Tests to after representing India in whites for 14 years since making his debut against the West Indies in 2011. He was India's standout performer since Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement in 2013. Kohli's last Test outing came against Australia in the five-Test match series of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025 where he managed to score 190 runs in 10 innings including an unbeaten century in the first Test.

Kohli smashed 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, at a test batting average of 46.85 in his 123 Test matches. He also captained India in 68 test matches and was India’s most successful captain with 40 test wins. The 36-year-old batter will now be seen in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia.