Sanjay Bangar Compares Virat Kohli’s Temperament To Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Angry Young Man’ Era

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Cric News India

September 8, 2025 0 328

Sanjay Bangar on Virat Kohli’s aggression

Sanjay Bangar likened Virat Kohli’s fearless nature to Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic ‘angry young man’ roles of the 1970s.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar has compared Virat Kohli’s temperament to Amitabh Bachchan’s famous ‘angry young man’ roles in Bollywood during the 1970s and 80s.

Bangar, who also served as India’s interim head coach in 2017, said Kohli’s fiery attitude was exactly what Indian cricket needed during a period of transition after the retirement of several senior players. He further explained why Bachchan’s films became a phenomenon in their time, linking the same idea to Kohli’s influence in Indian cricket.

“Virat Kohli has a natural character, like brash, in your face, and that was his natural character. A natural character always feels right. Why did Amitabh Bachchan’s films work in the 1975-1980 era? It was because there was this thought of an angry young man, and in the Indian society, anger was somewhere simmering,” stated Bangar in an interaction with DD Sports.

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The 52-year-old praised Kohli’s leadership style, stressing how his aggressive outlook reshaped India’s Test cricket culture. “Indian cricket needed some aggression because our fabulous four had retired, and Kohli had to take cricket forward, which he did in his own style. He changed India’s image completely in how they approach Test cricket,” he added.

Kohli’s numbers in red-ball cricket underline his legacy. He captained India in 68 Tests between 2014 and 2022, winning 40, losing 17, and drawing 11 — a win percentage of 58.82%. Under his leadership, India also climbed to the number one position in the ICC Test rankings.

As of now, Kohli has retired from T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup final and from Tests ahead of the five-match series against England. His next appearance for India is expected to be in the ODI series against Australia later this year.