Ajinkya Rahane says Virat Kohli helped “toughen” India’s Test team following the exit of former captain MS Dhoni. In comments reported alongside their shared Test experience, Rahane describes a period in which the team’s approach and performance evolved after Dhoni’s departure from the Test setup. Rahane and Kohli have played 67 Tests together, contributing a combined 3,661 runs. Their partnership includes multiple major contributions across those matches, including 10 century stands, reflecting sustained batting success during their overlapping spell. The reporting frames Rahane’s remarks as an assessment of how Kohli’s leadership and mentality influenced the team’s Test standards during the transition period. The sources focus on the change in team character after Dhoni and link it to Kohli’s role, while also citing the extent of Kohli and Rahane’s shared Test tenure and on-field record.