'Right man at the right time': Why Nasser Hussain is in awe of Kohli

India’s decisive and daring victory at the second Test at Lord’s with Virat Kohli at the helm is the front-page theme in the English media. The feat is also richly complimented by former England captain Nasser Hussain, who says an aggressive Kohli “gets under the skin of every team he plays against” and that he is a winner “at any cost”.

“Virat Kohli is the right man at the right time to lead this formidable India side. His players, in particular the bowlers, want an aggressive captain. They want Kohli stirring things up, as he did so effectively in that brilliant second Test at Lord’s,” he wrote in the Daily Mail.

“Jasprit Bumrah has always seemed, to me a quiet and reserved character off the field, but look at the way he attacked and went after Jimmy Anderson on that third evening.”

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He said he spoke to former India coach Duncan Fletcher who attested to the fact that Kohli is someone who wants to win at all costs. He said fans must watch the Indian captain play football; he represents the new India which won’t be pushed around.

“Kohli’s aggression is aimed at winding up the opposition and he gets under the skin of every team he plays against. I’m sure most don’t particularly like playing against him and English supporters won’t particularly like him but he won’t care a jot about that.”

“I remember speaking to Duncan Fletcher about Kohli when he was India coach and he just told me he was a winner. At almost any cost, too.”

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“You just have to watch him playing football with his team before play to see how competitive their captain gets. He doesn’t mind sliding in with the odd wild tackle, that’s for sure. He is so driven. Nothing sums that up better than the sight of Kohli in a white-ball run-chase because he sees the end goal and he won’t let any bowler get in his way.”

India’s pacemen starred with both bat and ball on August 16 as Virat Kohli’s side thrashed England by 151 runs in the second Test at Lord’s. Mohammed Shami (56 not out and 1/13 in 10 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (34 not out and 3/33 in 15 overs) played innings of their lives and then rocked the England top-order, before Ishant Sharma (2/13 in 10 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (4/32) played their part to perfection to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

This is India’s third Test match win at Lord’s having won earlier in the 1986 and 2014 series. They now have six points in the World Test Championship.