Kallicharran was full of praise for Kohli. (TOI Photo)

One of cricket's all-time greats and former captain of the West Indies team, Alvin Kallicharran says he never misses the chance to visit India 'where cricket is religion'. Chief guest at a cricket tournament organised in UP's Pilibhit, he talks to TOI about Virat Kohli , 'Fire in Babylon' and comparisons between Lara and Chanderpaul.

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Excerpts:

How closely do you follow Indian cricket? And what do you have to say about Virat Kohli?

I do follow, to some extent. He (Kohli) looks like a very determined chap. Determination means you can make your own decisions. I don't think India would ever have a captain like that. Except perhaps Kapil Dev . Kapil used to take decisions on his own and he was an exciting cricketer. He used to make some decisions nobody thought could happen in cricket. Kohli now has brought a new brand of captaincy. (He's) somebody who says 'I will play with five batsmen or five bowlers' and sticks to that. Virat Kohli is not an orthodox.

People often compare him to Viv Richards , in his attitude and his fearless approach to batting. You've played with Richards, and have called him the greatest batsman you've ever seen. Your view on this comparison?

The attitude is strong in both. I am one person who wouldn't like to compare players. But Kohli's attitude is as ruthless as Viv's was. Kohli seems to have some of those qualities. He is a successful captain. As a batsman, he is a phenomenon. Always hungry. His consistency is tremendous.

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But such aggression and consistency often brings up the issue of burn-outs.

It's a question of time. You never know what happens in the game and you never know what happens tomorrow. He is quite fit. In fact, the India team now is very fit, considering the amount of the cricket they play.

You come from a time the West Indies dressing room had some strong voices. There's a feeling that the Indian team lacks that now and there is no one to challenge calls that Kohli takes.

I think a team's passion to play and win is the key. That sort of takes care of things. This team has that. In my era too there was a bunch of chaps hungry to win. Everybody eventually knows what his job is in the team and what he is expected to do.

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You played when Test cricket was the thing. Do you think the longer game will survive the onslaught of T20, or is there an artificial fear of Test's impending doom being manufactured by sponsors and TV who basically run the game today?

To play, you need sponsors and TV. But I believe there is room for all the different versions of the game. T20 is very entertaining. It brings in excitement. It brings in the crowds. And players are gaining from it.

What do you have to say about the West Indies team of today?

We know that the world likes to see West Indians play cricket. We have our own brand of cricket. Back home, everyone wants to see them hit the peaks our cricketers scaled before. The winning streak has to come back. We have a dream that we will come back.

Has too much money in cricket robbed the game and cricketers of pride for the sport, especially in the West Indies? The IPL and the Big Bash seem to be, some say, what West Indian cricketers prefer more than playing for the maroon cap.

That part I will not like to get involved in. Everybody wants to get paid more. The amount of cricket that is being played now, careers are shorter, injuries are more. You never know what happens.

Will there be 'Fire In Babylon' again? When you guys in 1976 came out all guns blazing to teach Tony Greig and the English a few famous lessons? Or is that a thing of the past?

It just happened. Then the West Indian cricket team was very strong with exceptional bowlers. They were the most destructive force in world cricket at that time.

You hail from Guyana, which is divided between Afro-Caribbeans and Indians but is a cricket cradle. There are comparisons always being made between Brian Lara , with flair like yours, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul ?

I don't look at who is Black or Indian. You play for the country. I am the last person to compare players. I don't like to compare players. Brian was a very, very great player. Shiv has his own style. He is an accumulator of runs. Brian Lara was dominating. You don't compare them.

You missed out on big Kerry Packer money due to contractual issues, but you did the infamous 'Rebel tour' to South Africa during a time when they were banned from sport. Do you ever regret doing that?

I was not much involved in that. You don't regret what you do

Read this story in Bengali .

