Legacy created by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma goes well beyond numbers, says Greg Chappell

The Aussie great feels the duo's elegance will not just be etched in record books, but will be engraved forever in the hearts of fans.

As debate over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's ODI career continues, former India coach and Australian great Greg Chappell has come out in support of the 'star duo' by saying that their legacy cannot be measured in terms of runs and centuries.

The Australian great said that Kohli's passion and detachment from personal glory coupled with Rohit's humility and elegance will not just be etched in record books but will be engraved forever in the hearts of fans,

"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 the ESPN Cricinfo.

The Aussie legend feels that merely bracketing Kohli in the pantheon of batting greats will be a disservice to him.

"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."

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 did not forget to mention that unlike some of Kohli's predecessors, he wasn't obsessed with stat-padding.

"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 in his column.

Both Rohit and Kohli are currently in Australia for the three-match ODI series, which looks like the last tour Down Under for the batting duo.

(with cricinfo.com/agency inputs)