Virat is like beast on field, he wants to compete, says Ravi Shastri

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has termed Virat Kohli a "beast" on the field but said the former skipper is totally opposite when he is not playing the game.

Kohli had stepped down as the Test skipper after India suffered a Test series loss against South Africa.

Shastri said the challenge for Kohli is now to maintain the same energy when he is playing as a player and not as the captain of Team India.

"Virat is like a beast on the field. He is a terrier. Once he enters the ground, he wants to compete and is not worried about anybody. He is in-your-face and passionate. Off the field, he is totally opposite," Shastri told Shoaib Akhtar on the former Pakistan pacer's YouTube channel.

"Absolutely calm, chilled... there is no issue with him. He is 33. He has been contributing as a captain. The challenge comes when you are not captain after a span of time."

"Then to still have the energy to play as a player, get runs, and help India win. If he does that, he would have completed a full circle," he added.

India white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma has cleared his fitness test and as a result, he will be available to lead the side in the upcoming series against West Indies.

Shastri also pointed out how Rohit has evolved his game in the last few years.

"Now, Rohit is laid back. It was sometimes that you got the feeling that the game came too easy to him, till he realised that 'God has given me this gift and now let me also work harder and make the most of it'. And when in full flow, there are few batters who play like him," said Shastri.

India will now lock horns with the West Indies series from February 6. The three ODIs will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad and three T20Is will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.