"He (Kohli) is such an inspiration. We feel lucky that we don't have to look too far. The guy who inspires you is sitting right next to you in the dressing room. The level of commitment that he has shown, the discipline and work ethic, the way he has been so disciplined with his fitness, nutrition and diet - that is something that has inspired all of us," Rahul told 'ESPN Cricinfo'.
"If you come into the dressing room now you can see how all the boys are so disciplined. He's helped me in shaping my career. When I came into Test cricket, I was good but not as good as I am now. Virat has helped me with my preparation, mindset, and he has given me a lot of confidence."
One of the three Indians (others being Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma) to score hundreds in all international formats, Rahul said that he enjoys all forms.
"I can't talk for anybody else, things like this don't really affect me. Like I said, I like playing all three formats - they all challenge you differently and I am someone who enjoys the challenges.
"If you keep it simple and play cricketing shots you can be successful. Luckily for me, the IPL helped this year. I realised I could play all three formats, and I feel a lot more confident now," Rahul added.
About the upcoming 13 Test matches at home, Rahul said: "I have been very consistent in domestic cricket and I hope I can continue with the same form in international cricket as well. I look to keep things simple irrespective of the format. I look to play my shots. I will play proper cricketing shots, but if the ball is there to be hit, I will hit it. That is something that won't change with any format.