Exclusive: Is Kohli's aggression good for the game? Former captains give their verdict

Dubai - Zaheer Abbas says Kohli should set an example, but Dilip Vengsarkar and David Gower have praised the Indian captain's passion for the game

Unlike his legendary grandfather Denis Compton, Nick Compton never set pulses racing in his Test career. But the former England batsman recently made the headlines when he called Virat Kohli the ‘most foul-mouthed’ individual in cricket.

India’s remarkable fightback on the fifth day of the second Test at Lord’s to go one up in the five-match series will find a place in the annals of cricket.

But the Kohli-infused in-your-face cricket from the team has certainly reopened the debate on whether the behaviour of the Indian captain is bordering on arrogance.

Has the Indian superstar become too big for the game?

Kohli has been a passionate advocate of Test cricket. Former players like Ian Chappell and Ramiz Raja believe that following the explosion of shorter formats of the game, the future of the traditional format hinges on the 32-year-old Kohli’s continued involvement in it.

And yet, Kohli’s detractors will have their eyes set on him again when he leads his team out at Headingley, Leeds, for the third Test that starts on Wednesday.

It’s the same Kohli who was recently hailed as the torchbearer for Test cricket by Dinesh Karthik – a few days before Chappell wrote on ESPNcricinfo that players who believe in Test cricket should ‘appoint Kohli their spokesperson’.

But in his relentless pursuit of Test victories, Kohli can sometimes upset the same purists with his over-the-top celebrations and wild gesticulations.

Unlike Nick Compton, former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has seen Kohli since his under 16 days.

Vengsarkar, who fast-tracked a teenage Kohli into the Indian senior team when he was the chairman of the national selection committee, says Kohli played with the same aggression on the field even in age-group cricket.

“I saw the same passion in him on the field when he was playing the Under 16 BCCI tournament. I was the chairman of the Talent Resource Development Wing of the BCCI back then,” the legendary Indian batsmen told Khaleej Times over the phone from Mumbai.

“I liked his passion for the game and besides, of course, his talent and mental toughness. Then I watched him in under-19 matches also. So he has always been very passionate about cricket. He always wanted to win matches.”

And former England captain David Gower believes it’s Kohli’s passion has made him such a good player.

“I think there is a danger if you try and change someone like Virat Kohli. What makes him good is his passion and aggression. Some people have it more controlled, more inside them, he shows what’s going on very much from the outside,” Gower had told Khaleej Times during a recent interview.

“I would assume that the Indian dressing room understands Virat and likewise, he understands them. So I would not want to tinker with that, just for the sake of appearances.”