Former India captain Kapil Dev has offered a fascinating insight into Virat Kohli’s on-field personality, explaining why the batting great’s aggressive approach has been a defining feature of his remarkable career. According to Kapil, Kohli belongs to a rare category of athletes who thrive on emotion, using passion and intensity as fuel to produce their best performances under pressure.

Speaking on Sports Tak, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said every great player has a unique way of handling pressure. While some cricketers remain calm and composed throughout a match, others perform at their peak when they are emotionally charged. Kapil believes Kohli falls firmly into the latter category, and that fiery mindset has helped shape him into one of India’s greatest modern-day batters.

Kapil also highlighted Kohli’s exceptional batting technique, particularly his ability to judge the ball earlier than most players. He explained that Kohli’s superb wrist work allows him to flick even genuine fast bowlers through the mid-wicket and mid-on regions—shots that very few batters can consistently execute.

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“Because he had the time. When we flick, that flick is not on the third man, not on the fine leg. He can flick the fast bowler on the mid-on and mid-wicket boundaries. So, he has a little more time to pick the ball. Like Rohit, he picks the length ball so well that the biggest player in the world can’t pick the ball so well. So, some players have that ability. Virat had that ability,” Kapil Dev said.

The legendary all-rounder also praised Rohit Sharma, describing him as one of the finest players when it comes to reading the length of a delivery. In Kapil’s view, the ability possessed by both Kohli and Rohit is a rare natural gift that cannot simply be taught through coaching.

Discussing Kohli’s fiery attitude, Kapil compared the former India captain to American tennis legend John McEnroe, who was famous for channelling his emotions into match-winning performances. He also drew parallels with former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad, another fiercely competitive athlete who thrived on confrontation.

“It’s a little strange that he becomes more enthusiastic. But looking at Virat, I remember John McEnroe because until he used to fight, he couldn’t give a performance. And Javed Miandad was also like that. Some players are like Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar—keep your head down, play, and deliver your performance,” Kapil Dev added.

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Kapil admitted that he could never express himself as openly as McEnroe or Kohli during his own playing days. However, he enjoys watching athletes who embrace challenges with such passion, believing that different personalities succeed in different ways.

He concluded by saying that while he sometimes feels Kohli could tone down his emotions, the former India captain clearly believes that his aggression elevates his game. If that intensity helps him perform at his best, Kapil sees no reason for him to change. Kohli is expected to return to international action during India’s three-match ODI series against England, which begins on July 14.