India, May 21 -- There is something pleasantly articulate about Virat Kohli this year. Perhaps the world is no longer used to hearing him speak so openly, but he has been noticeably more chatty of late. Kohli has openly challenged the management on a podcast, spoken about things he once rarely addressed, such as his decision to step away from India's Test captaincy, visited a school as its guest of honour, talked about moments of vulnerability, and made a video of meeting his childhood coach that he shared on social media. This is not the Virat Kohli we're used to.

Over the past few years, Kohli has remained awfully quiet, but this time around, he has broken the silence and more. On the field, he continues to do what he does best: pummel...