Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has expressed that Virat Kohli is the best red-ball captain, ahead of the highly anticipated India vs Australia Test series. Speaking on the Cricket Petta podcast, Sivaramakrishnan praised Kohli’s aggressive on-field attitude, drawing a comparison with the legendary Sir Vivian Richards. Kohli, after a challenging period in red-ball cricket, is gearing up for the Australian challenge in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Sivaramakrishnan emphasized the importance of players showing emotion on the field rather than being mechanical. He noted that Kohli’s intensity and attacking mindset reminded him of Sir Viv, who could intimidate bowlers with just his presence. He contrasted Kohli’s aggression with MS Dhoni’s calmness, naming Kohli as the best red-ball captain and Dhoni as the best in white-ball formats.

“ViratKohli’s attacking attitude and MS Dhoni’s calm demeanor. For me, the best red-ball captain is Virat, and for white-ball, it’s Dhoni,” Sivaramakrishnan said.

This upcoming series is crucial for Kohli, who has struggled in Tests recently. He had a poor run in the IND vs NZ series, where spinners dominated him, averaging just 13. In his last 14 matches since February 2022, he has only two centuries and three fifties. With just 1,838 runs at an average of 31.68 over his last 34 Tests, Kohli’s future in Test cricket could depend on his performance in this series, which begins on November 22 in Perth.