“Gone is the fearless intent of youth”: Greg Chappell explains Virat Kohli’s poor form in recent times

One of the most pertinent questions that has been raised now is the career of Virat Kohli. As the star Indian Cricket Team batter approaches the twilight of his career, pundits have started to analyze Kohli’s playing style. Former Australian captain Greg Chappell wrote that for both Kohli and Steve Smith the fearless intent of youth is starting to go missing.

Greg Chappell further explained that now that fearlessness is missing, it has been replaced by caution. These star players now need a buffer of 20-30 runs before they can get on to their usual flow.

Greg Chappell points at crack in Mental Strength

“Gone is the fearless intent of youth, replaced by caution. Kohli, once renowned for his domineering starts, has in recent years shown a tendency to begin tentatively. Much like Tendulkar and Ponting before him, Kohli seems to need a buffer – a score of 20 or 30 – before he can rediscover his flow,” Greg Chappell wrote The Age.

“This cautiousness is born of a growing aversion to risk, a creeping self-doubt that stems from the weight of poor performances and heightened scrutiny. For elite athletes, confidence is everything. The slightest crack in their mental strength can disrupt the clarity required to dominate bowlers,” he added.

He further added that with age, the players have started to develop self-doubt. And this all stems from a string of poor performances. He claimed that for such star players mental attributes hold the biggest ground. Chappell added that once the confidence is shaken then performances start to go downhill as has been the case with Virat Kohli.

“As I reflect on the careers of today’s greats like Kohli, Joe Root and Steve Smith, I see the same struggle – the same battle between instinct and adaptation, confidence and caution. It’s a reminder that greatness isn’t just about peak performance; it’s about the courage to evolve, to endure and to finish with dignity,” he concluded.