"I'm here with bunch of...": Virat Kohli reveals challenges of replacing 'captain' MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir reacts

Team India star batter Virat Kohli opened up about the challenges he faced when he became Test captain of the national cricket team. Virat Kohli stated that he often struggled after taking over the captaincy from the legendary cricketer MS Dhoni but added that he began to find solutions over time.

Virat Kohli made his Test captaincy debut for India in the first match of the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He replaced MS Dhoni, who missed the game due to a thumb injury. The right-handed batter smashed two centuries, but India fell short of chasing the massive target in the final innings.

The Delhi-born cricketer was appointed as the full-time Test captain after MS Dhoni stepped down midway through the series. Kohli then improved the team's performance in overseas conditions and became India’s most successful Test captain. He set a foundation for fitness and strong seam bowling.

The Thing That Excited Me About Test Cricket - Virat Kohli

In an interview arranged by the BCCI with Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli said that he was excited by the challenge and focused on how to lead a young team. Kohli said that he wanted the team to consistently score 350-400 runs.

"The thing that excited me about Test cricket and when I was coming up as captain was the challenge. We were transitioning when you guys had made way for a youngster team and Mahi bhai left Test captaincy. I was 25, so for me it was like 'I am here with a bunch of 24-25 year-old guys. How do we become household names?' We sat down and thought 'I really need to plan this out. This can't happen by chance'," Kohli told Gambhir.

"When I started thinking from the point of view where Indian cricket has to be in 7 years' time, the solutions came. We need a group of fast bowlers. We need batters who can bat long. We need to give ownership to five batters and a keeper to get us 350-400. We can't have a seventh option," he added.

Can Understand What You Might Have Gone Through - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir acknowledged the challenges Virat Kohli faced as a young Test captain and also praised him for transforming Indian cricket. He said that Kohli succeeded as captain due to building a strong bowling attack. Gambhir credited Kohli for the Indian Test team's wins overseas.

"I can understand what you might have gone through. A 24-25 year-old boy taking up Test captaincy and then what you did brilliantly was that you had a really strong bowling unit. Test matches are won by taking 20 wickets. Till the time you don't have a strong bowling line-up, you won't [win]. And that is what made you the most successful Test captain in the country," said Gambhir in reply.

Under Kohli's leadership and with coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun, India developed a formidable pace attack. India consistently took 20 wickets in a Test match both at home and away.

Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj contributed to consecutive Test series victories in Australia and challenged England and South Africa on their home turf.

Also read: "Congratulations for what Bangladesh did in Pakistan, but India is a different team"- Gautam Gambhir's fiery sledge