As India gears up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has sparked conversation with a bold comparison between Virat Kohli and West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards.
The former Indian spinner praised Kohli’s fearless and aggressive playing style, drawing parallels with Sir Vivian Richards’ dominant on-field presence.
Sivaramakrishnan remarked that Kohli’s emotional intensity and fierce celebrations remind him of Richards’ ability to intimidate bowlers, not just with his bat but also his piercing gaze.
On Sony Sport’s Tamil Cricket Podcast, Sivaramakrishnan commented, “Kohli’s attacking attitude is something he enjoys and celebrates. You should show your emotions on the field, like Sir Vivian Richards, who would intimidate bowlers with his eyes.”
Sivaramakrishnan also shared his views on India’s two iconic captains—Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. He praised Kohli as India’s best red-ball captain, citing his aggressive and spirited approach, while highlighting MS Dhoni as the ideal white-ball captain due to his calm and composed demeanor.
Reflecting on their distinct leadership, he noted, “For me, the best red-ball captain is Virat, and the best white-ball is Dhoni.”
Sivaramakrishnan also reminisced about the unique captaincy styles of Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and N. Venkataraghavan. He described Gavaskar as a strategic leader who valued analytical thinking, while Kapil Dev was an instinctive captain who trusted his gut, recalling Kapil’s decision to give Madan Lal an extra over in the 1983 World Cup.
“Sunil Gavaskar was the best captain I played under. He was very strategic and analytical. Kapil Dev was instinctive—he’d go with his gut,” Sivaramakrishnan explained, adding, “Venkataraghavan was also a remarkable captain.”