3 min readApr 25, 2026 11:23 AM IST
Gujarat Titans assistant coach Vijay Dahiya, who shares a long history with Virat Kohli from their days together in Delhi domestic cricket, offered a reflective take on the former India captain’s evolution, from a chubby youngster in the dressing room to one of the most disciplined and relentless competitors in modern cricket.
Dahiya underlined that Kohli’s defining trait has always been an internal drive to keep improving, built on consistency, discipline, and an uncompromising mindset.
“I think he wants to be better than what he was yesterday. That’s another thing that stands out in his fitness and discipline. It’s an example for a lot of people. It’s damn difficult to follow in the same way. But at least pick up something from there,” he said in the post-match press conference.
He also spoke about Kohli’s mentality, particularly his refusal to be defined by longevity or reputation, instead focusing on constant self-improvement.
“A lot of times, there is a word called zid. We use it in a wrong way. I think he is ziddi to do well. That’s one thing that stands out for him. The other thing, a lot of people say, I don’t think so. He has been around for such a long time. He is not playing to prove a point to anyone. It’s a man in the mirror,” Dahiya added.
Dahiya emphasised that Kohli’s influence goes far beyond skill, pointing instead to his energy, awareness and intensity as the foundation of his sustained success.
“I think it’s amazing. If you look at his energy, one thing is about skill, one thing is about game sense. But his awareness, his energy and his willingness,” he said.
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He also recalled a post-match conversation where Kohli, despite playing a match-defining innings, was still focused on what he felt he had missed.
“After the game, I was just having a chat with him and he was disappointed. He was saying that I could have converted this to 100. I said it’s for somebody who doesn’t know how to do it,” Dahiya said.
Dahiya threw light on Kohli’s ability to control games even against world-class attacks, noting how he can make difficult conditions appear straightforward through sheer authority at the crease.
“I am very confident that I would have won this game on a surface like this. He made the surface look really easy, sort of a wicket. It wasn’t an easy sort of a wicket,” he said.
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“When you are playing and when you are commanding the situation, you make the bowler bowl where you want him to bowl. That’s the kind of innings Virat has played, put pressure on the bowlers. World-class bowlers, not only the domestic bowlers. That’s what Virat is all about. I think his mindset sets him apart from a lot of other people,” he added.
