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Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar drew 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, renowned for his aggressive attitude on the field, never hesitated to confront opponents and constantly kept the pressure on them. During his tenure as captain, India adopted 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.
Bangar explained that Kohli’s fiery demeanour wasn’t just for show, but a genuine reflection of his personality, reminiscent of the intensity and defiance that defined Bachchan’s “angry young man” era in 1970s Bollywood.
“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.
“Virat Kohli had to take cricket forward after Fab 4 retired”
The former coach feels Kohli’s aggressive approach 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. Bangar emphasised that Indian cricket needed a fresh voice to usher in a new era of intensity and competitiveness.
“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.
Earlier this year, Kohli retired from Test cricket after playing 123 matches in his 14-year red-ball career. He made his Test debut in 2011 against West Indies and has been India’s standout batter since Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement in 2013.
Kohli scored 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, at a test batting average of 46.85. He also led India in 68 test matches and was India’s most successful captain with 40 test wins.
