"I love watching Virat Kohli bat. He looks to me like an individual of my own heart. I love his aggression and serious passion that I used to have. He reminds me of myself," Richards said.
"He is an individual who doesn't back off from confrontation. Someone who can stand his ground under pressure. I love that as you can't teach these instinctive aspects," Richards told PTI in an exclusive interview today.
The 61-year-old Richards, regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the game's history, said that even while fielding, Kohli is a lot like him.
"Just like me, he loves the ball to come to him. He wants to dive, stop the runs. He is a livewire unlike some fielders, who would just dig a hole and dive in it rather than dive to stop the ball!" he said.
Asked whether Kohli will be the 'flag bearer' of Indian batting once Sachin Tendulkar retired, Richards sounded positive.
"I believe till the Master of Shaolin (Tendulkar) is there, you need to give him respect. Obviously, once Sachin retires, you can bank on Kohli as he is young enough and has a lot of time on his side. He will only improve and continue to get better," he explained.
While Richards is a great fan of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's cool approach, he did not forget to mention that the Indian team needs to win on overseas soil regularly.
"What a way to come back against the Aussies (in the recent Test series at home). But for me, the determining factor of how good you are is when you win anywhere. You don't have to wait until you play at home to beat your opponent.