The inability to turn promising starts into match-defining scores haunted India throughout the series, including in the third and final ODI in Indore.
Hussain recalled the Lord's Test in 2021 and Virat's 'pep talk' to fire up his players on the final morning as the visitors thrashed the hosts and registered a memorable win.
Spin legend Shane Warne heaped rich praise on Virat Kohli, saying he has instilled self-belief in his team and hopes that the Indian skipper continues to play for a long time as it augurs well for Test cricket.
Indian pacer Ishant Sharma recalled scoring his maiden Test half-century against the West Indies back in 2019 at Kingston, Jamaica, and how he faced some teasing from his skipper and childhood friend Virat Kohli, who jokingly asked him to just "play the ball".
Virat Kohli adorns the cover page of GQ magazine
Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels Virat Kohli's Test retirement could have been handled better as he deserved a proper farewell and said he would have reinstated him as captain after the Australia series.
Form and familiarity favour India in T20 World Cup
'He doesn't play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that's a big number in sport.'
'The fact is he always needed a challenge. That's what got him going.'
Cricket has never been the same since India's thrilling, last-over win over Pakistan in the final at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on September 24, 2007.
Defending champions India have unveiled a well-rounded 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed his maiden ODI hundred to power India to a 2-1 series win after they thrashed against South Africa by nine wickets in the third and final ODI.
There are three aspects of the decision taken jointly by Agarkar and Gambhir with the blessings of someone very powerful in Indian cricket ecosystem. First, they are on same page that both Rohit and Virat Kohli aren't exactly in their scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup.
India's skipper missed out on what would have been his 99th Test on the morning of the second match of the series against South Africa in Johannesburg, adding to an intriguing drama that is unfolding around him on an almost daily basis now.
The series in Australia could well be Rohit's last in India Blues. But Kohli, given his high fitness standards, could play on until the 2027 World Cup.
Virat Kohli's second successive ton during the second ODI against South Africa here seemed "inevitable" as the stalwart got off the mark with a six, carrying the confidence of his first-game heroics, feels former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
Rohit Sharma hit an unbeaten century, while Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent fifty as India cruised to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Australia.
Team India's new red-ball skipper Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, pacer Mohammed Siraj, and a few others were reportedly invited by Kohli for an evening get-together at his home in London.
Virat Kohli is set to make history on Thursday as he takes the field against the West Indies
Babar Azam becomes fastest Asian batter to reach 10,000 international runs
Ambati Rayudu picked Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India's best ever captain ahead of the likes of Sourav Ganguly and Kapil Dev.
With Virat Kohli stepping down as India's Test captain, the reign of the country's "most successful captain" in the longest format came to an end.
Despite living in close proximity to the series venues, Kohli is expected to remain absent not just on the field, but off it too.
Batting superstar Virat Kohli admitted that the aggressive Australian cricketing environment tested his resilience, but felt that standing up to it while playing a bold brand of cricket toughened his mind and shaped his career path, besides influencing his growth as an individual.
The new India, according to Kohli, is the one that's not afraid to take up challenges.
Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad hundreds help India set 359-run target in second ODI
India begins their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA, aiming to leverage their strong team composition and recent form to secure a victory.
Rohit Sharma offered a hilarious piece of advice to spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the T20 World Cup this year from February 7.
Former coach Ravi Shastri praised Virat Kohli's tenure as India's captain, stating that he did he a 'magnificent job' both as a skipper and a batter.
Bihar's teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged just 14, blasted an 84-ball 190 to become the youngest List-A centurion ever. His captain Sakibul Gani, then upstaged him with a 40-ball 128 not out -- the fastest List-A century by an Indian.
India's newly-appointed ODI skipper Shubman Gill on Thursday said senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain a part of the team's 2027 World Cup plans as their skill levels and voluminous experience cannot be ignored.
Former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin slipped to the third spot, having scored 426 runs at 85.20 during India's tour of England in 1990.
Virat Kohli, former Test captain, lauded the team's resilience
Kohli revealed that the weight of expectations became a bit tough to handle for him.
Aryan Sharma, a 17-year-old inspired by Virat Kohli, saw his 2018 message to the Indian batting great to 'watch him play for Australia in 2025' come to life.
India captain Rohit Sharma has climbed to second place in the ICC men's ODI batting rankings, closing in on top-ranked Shubman Gill.
Royal Challengers Bangalore might be a tad worried about Virat Kohli's poor form but Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist has described the India batsman as one of the most dangerous players in their rival camp.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should continue playing ODIs as long as they are performing.
At just 14 years old, Suryavanshi is already one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the world, having first made headlines with an electrifying 35-ball century in the Indian Premier League's 2025 season.
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