Virat Kohli’s belief system never changes even when the going gets tough, says Abhishek Nayar

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar praised Virat Kohli's unwavering self-belief. Recalling a slump in Australia, Nayar revealed Kohli declined technical advice, opting to trust his own instincts before bouncing back in style, proving his champion mindset

New Delhi: Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has highlighted Virat Kohli’s unwavering belief in his own methods as the defining trait behind the batting great’s sustained success, recalling a conversation with the former India captain during a difficult phase in Australia.

Sharing the anecdote while reflecting on Kohli’s mentality, Nayar said the 36-year-old’s confidence in his process never wavered despite a string of low scores, a quality he believes separates the game’s elite from everyone else.

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Nayar revealed that he reached out to Kohli after the batter endured a difficult ODI series in Australia, where he registered two ducks. Having only recently moved on from the Indian team setup, Nayar remained in contact with Kohli and wanted to check on how he was coping with the lean spell.

“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,” Nayar told JioStar.

According to Nayar, Kohli’s response reflected the calmness and conviction that have become synonymous with his career as he stated, “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.'”

Wanting to share a technical observation, Nayar sought Kohli’s permission before offering his thoughts. The former India captain, however, politely declined, choosing to trust his own instincts, but Kohli’s subsequent performance only reinforced Nayar’s admiration for his mindset.

“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.

For Nayar, the episode perfectly encapsulates what distinguishes players who consistently deliver at the highest level. He believes champions rely on years of experience and an unshakeable faith in their own process, especially when results are not going their way. He also explains that experiences like these have only deepened his admiration for two of India’s modern-day batting icons.

“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,” he stated.