Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli because of his unshakable belief system, says Abhishek Nayar

Abhishek Nayar, the former India assistant coach, has explained what truly separates Virat Kohli from the rest of cricket’s elite. Nayar traced the star batter’s longevity and success back to one fundamental trait, an absolute conviction in his own methods that never breaks, regardless of results.

Nayar had direct insight into this mindset when he stayed connected with Kohli after stepping down from the Indian team setup. During that period, when the right-hander struggled through an ODI series in Australia and registered two ducks, Nayar reached out. The interaction crystallised something deep about what drives the 36-year-old at the highest level.

“I’ve known Virat for a really long time, but one thing I realised in the recent past is that the reason Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli is because of the belief systems he has. No matter what happens, that belief never changes,” said Nayar on JioStar.

What makes Kohli different when form dips?

When Nayar checked in on Kohli’s wellbeing during the lean spell, the batter’s response was striking.

“When Virat was struggling in Australia and had those two ducks in the ODI series, I’d just come out of the Indian team, so we were still in touch. I asked him if everything was okay and whether there was anything he wanted to talk about. He simply said, ‘No, all good. It’s part of the game.’ I then said, ‘I have an observation. Do you want to hear it?’ He smiled and replied, ‘No, I’ll do it my way.’ I laughed. After the next game, I got the answer, ‘I did it my way,'” Nayar revealed.

That exchange showed precisely why champions operate at a different level. Nayar’s admiration for this quality ran deep.

“For me, that is the hallmark of Virat Kohli. The great players know how to do it when the going gets tough. We can analyse, imagine and envision, but they’ve done it repeatedly at the highest level. That’s why my respect for players like Virat and Rohit is so much,” Nayar concluded.