On several occasions,Virat Kohli’s credentials as a leader of this Indian team have been questioned. In what is considered one of the toughest jobs in sport, being the captain of the Indian cricket team isn’t a straightforward undertaking. Under constant media scrutiny and with the expectations of a billion people to be fulfilled, Virat Kohli had massive shoes to fill when he took over the reins from MS Dhoni as Test skipper late last year, following Dhoni’s retirement from Test cricket.
One mantra Virat Kohli has always preached in his time as Test captain is that he wants the Indian team to be aggressive. and even maintained that he’d much rather go for the win even if it results in a loss, like it did in Adelaide last year, than sit back and play for a draw.
In fact, there’s even a pattern behind this proactive thinking.
When Australia were undisputedly the best cricket team in the world between 1995 and 2008, they were the most aggressive. When the West Indies were the best team in the world for the preceding 15 years, they were also the most aggressive. Those two teams created fear amongst the opposition and had an aura of invincibility around them.
This is the kind of attitude Virat Kohli wants to encourage in the India team because he wants himself to be the best and the Indian team to be the best. He hates losing and always wants to win. And to win, remember, you have to be aggressive.
However, simply being aggressive doesn’t make you a good team; sending the right message across is the key and you need to always back your strong words with even stronger performances.
The 26-year-old’s sporting gestures, in the Sri Lanka series especially, should also be acknowledged. The respect the team showed Kumar Sangakkara in his last Test was second to none and they have always acknowledged great performances by the opposition, just like when Kohli gave a pat on Angelo Mathews’ back after his hundred in the third Test and crediting Rangana Herath’s performance in the First Test, despite many umpiring decisions going against the favour of the Indians. There is a fine line between the two extremes and it looks as if Virat Kohli has managed to find the right balance of it, at least for the time being. This bodes only well for this young and aspiring bunch of talented cricketers.
He has led in six Tests so far and his record reads as: two wins, two draws and two losses. In all these six Tests, it must be said, India got into commanding positions only not to press on and complete the win due to various reasons. Having encountered a heartbreaking loss at Galle in the First Test of this series from a position where anything but an Indian win seemed inconceivable, it was imperative that Kohli instilled some confidence and led the way to victory for India. After choosing to bat first in the Second Test, India slipped to 12-2, and it was the Delhi-born captain with a stroke-filled 78, who led the rearguard action and led the team to a competitive score of 393, which eventually proved to be a match winning score. So, not only with his captaincy has he showed the way for this team, he has always maintained his high standard of performance.
India’s series victory was not just their first in Sri Lanka after 22 years; it was also only the third time in their history had they recovered from 0-1 deficit to win a three Test match series. It was also only the second time that India took all 60 wickets in a three Test series.
This series victory has come as a result of Virat Kohli and the team management following a set template of playing five specialist batsmen and a wicketkeeper to ensure that they had five bowlers to pick twenty wickets that will enable them to win Test matches.
Kohli said that the team’s bowlers had responded to the demands made on them as a unit. He said “it takes a lot of character for the fast bowler to come and bowl six balls on a channel on the fourth or fifth stump knowing that you are not making the batsman play. You might have to bowl five overs and maybe four maidens out of that. It takes a lot of character because it is hot, humid and to think that I am going to bowl five overs and maintain line and length and not go for wickets all the time is very difficult for the bowlers to accept firstly and to execute. But that they have done beautifully. They are willing to work harder than they might have in the past; they have been willing to put in that extra effort.”
This series in many ways could prove to be a watershed moment for Indian cricket. This young team can only improve from here on and under the dynamic leadership of Virat Kohli, things are looking really positive for India. Kohli has made a seamless transition from being a vice-captain under MS Dhoni to now, having a team which well and truly is his.
