NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Greg Chappell believes that Virat Kohli's passion and selflessness, combined with Rohit Sharma's humility and elegance, will not only be remembered in the record books but also remain forever etched in the hearts of cricket fans.
As the two stalwarts embark on what is likely their final tour of Australia, Chappell feels that the legacy of Kohli and Rohit extends far beyond mere numbers.
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"Now, as the cricketing world moves forward, new names will rise. New captains will lead. But this golden chapter - the Kohli-Rohit era - will remain engraved not just in record books but in the hearts of every fan who understood what they stood for," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPN Cricinfo.
The former Australian legend believes that simply placing Kohli among the greats of batting would do a disservice to his extraordinary talent.
"Kohli was never just a batter, he was a movement. He brought what few dared to - a warrior's mindset. He turned India's ODI side into a sharp, focused and supremely fit unit that played to win, home or away."
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He then dissected their games and personas and what the duo stood for.
"Kohli's passion, his refusal to settle, his belief in legacy over statistics. Rohit's elegance, his humility, and his redemption arc, which reminded us all that timing is everything - in cricket, and in life."
Chappell also noted that, unlike some of his predecessors, Kohli was never obsessed with padding his statistics.
"But what truly set him (Kohli) apart, even from the legends who came before him, was his detachment from personal statistics. While the world raved about centuries and aggregates, Kohli cared only about the outcome.
"He once said that he played for India, not for records - a statement that defined his leadership. Individual feats were often the focal point of India's cricketing narrative; Kohli sought something larger. His currency was legacy, not numbers," Chappell wrote.
In case of Rohit, it was opening the innings that turned him into a red ball colossus who could disintegrate opposition with meticulous precision.
"Where Kohli's rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit's journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness. For years he dazzled in limited-overs cricket; his timing, poise and flair made him a household name," Chappell wrote.
"But it didn't come easy: though he made his debut in 2007, inconsistency and middle-order struggles kept him from cementing a place, especially in big tournaments."
What separated Rohit 1.0 and Rohit 2.0 is belief not just technique.
"Then came 2013. Promoted to open during a home series against England, he seized the opportunity with quiet confidence. There was a double-century against Australia. Elegant hundreds, of which the first came also against Australia that year," Chappell recollected.
"Sudden comfort against the swinging ball. Something had changed - not just in technique but in belief. What followed was one of the most remarkable second winds in Indian cricket. Rohit didn't just adapt to ODI cricket, he conquered it," he further wrote.
