brought the curtains down on a glorious Test career earlier this month but former India batting coach had tried to “reason with him” before he made the announcement. Bangar had first been appointed as India’s batting coach in August 2014 and even took over the top job for India’s tour of Zimbabwe in 2016.
“It was a sad day for me personally. He was a giant of his era. I tried to reason with him – there were still a few good years of Test cricket left in him. But he had made up his mind. He was convinced about the timing, and once he made that decision, there was no going back. We must respect that,” said Bangar on JioHotstar.
Bangar remained part of the Indian coaching setup until the end of the 2019 World Cup, first as a batting coach under Anil Kumble and then as assistant coach under Ravi Shastri from July 2017. His years with the Indian team coincided with some of India’s biggest Test victories under Kohli’s captaincy. Kohli himself went on overdrive and came to be recognised as the best batter in the world across formats in this period.
Bangar said that he was convinced in the end of Kohli making the right call. “In our country, letting go is not always appreciated, but Virat chose the right moment. He retired when people were still asking ‘why now?’ – and that’s often the hallmark of a great sportsman,” said Bangar.
Kohli retired as India’s fourth-highest run scorer in Test cricket, having scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 123 matches. He scored 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. His annual average never dipped below 55 in the four years between 2016 and 2019. Additionally his calendar year average at the end of 2016 and 2017 were both above 75.
“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy — but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for,” said Kohli in a statement that he put up on his Instagram handle.
“I’m walking away with a heart full of gratitude — for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile. #269, signing off,” he said.
