Fire and Ice: The Parallel Journeys of Two Modern Greats
As personalities, India’s two immediate former captains who together have ridden into the Test sunset—isn’t there poetic justice in that, never mind that it leaves Indian cricket, indeed Test cricket, poorer for their absence?—couldn’t be any more different. Kohli, from West Delhi, is the perfect exemplar of the saying: ‘You can take the boy out of Delhi, but you can’t take Delhi out of the boy.’ Brash, aggressive, intense and unapologetic, he redefined his country’s approach to the longer format, ruthless to a fault in his desire to take his side to unprecedented heights away from home. Rohit, genteel and laidback and comfortable in his own skin, inherited a battle-hardened bunch from his predecessor and allowed them to carve their own path, secure in the knowledge that the skipper had their backs. Fire, and ice. Boisterous, and self-contained. Chalk, and cheese. But united by the desire to make their respective sides the best in the business.