A loss & a draw marked Virat Kohli’s first two tests as
the captain of the Indian team. Characteristic attributes of India’s leadership
on foreign soil like reactive decision-making, defensive field placements,
safety-first approach didn’t quite find an association with Kohli’s captaincy
in that brief phase. The debut test in this regard included an hundred from him
in both the innings, while the following test as the designated captain of the
test team featured a magnificent ton in the first innings and a significant
rearguard knock to salvage a draw. A win wasn’t achieved but the brand was
refreshing as much as effective, and there was something more than just the
difference in the exuberance of a 26-year & 33-test old against the wisdom
of a 33-year & 90-test old experienced player.
The absence of captaincy baggage permitted him to flaunt his
free spirited mind by picking Karn Sharma ahead of Ashwin at Adelaide, and chancing
a run-chase on day 5 of the test when most visiting sides would have settled in
the pursuit for a draw. Kohli has been pretty vocal about his approach to a
game recently, wherein he doesn’t mind risking a defeat for a possible test win.
Thus far in his young career things are being practiced as they are preached. In
the Sydney test, the bowlers managed only 13 wickets but the batsmen exhibited
commendable resolve when the runs were too many to keep the series scoreline
down to 0-2.
For all the positive vibes he has commanded in the short
while, emulating the unparalleled legacy in Indian cricket of his predecessor would
be the next big task. With 27 wins and a win-loss ratio of 1.5, MS Dhoni stands
out distinctly in the list of Indian test skippers. Only Ganguly had a better
win-loss ratio (1.615) and more away test wins (11), but the iconic image of
Dhoni holding the test champion’s mace will always remain a cherished memory. Kohli
pads up to the challenge from where Dhoni has left - the challenge of
sustaining consistency in away test performances. Dhoni’s last few years at the
helm didn’t yield much but to be fair the old cliché of the captain being as
good as his team can be a tenable explanation.
Kohli started off as the appointed skipper earlier this
year, but in the true sense will be bearing the responsibility from the
upcoming season onwards only. The nucleus of the team is gradually
crystallizing, the team doesn’t have too alien conditions to bear with and with
a healthy competition for multiple spots the new leader can buy time &
space to accommodate his style of working.
Ponting and Waugh, Dhoni and Ganguly happen to be similar
cases of two most successful test skippers of respective teams with
significantly different demeanours about them. All of them were tactically
aggressive, yet for a couple the body languages gave away their thoughts, while
for others it gave away very little. In a naïve sense Kohli belongs to the
Ponting school of captaincy; is aggressive and believes in leading from the
front. The added responsibility of leading a team can sometimes outweigh the
primary trade of a player or bring out the best out of him. Ponting blossomed
after assuming the skipper’s hat, so did Smith & Cook and more recently
Steve Smith is the new addition to this bracket. Kohli’s temperament has been
discussed and analyzed extensively which makes some to believe captaincy may
work counter-productively; although in his early years it has rubbed well on batting
form.
Dhoni always remained an image of tranquillity despite harsh
criticism after a string of poor performances and didn’t let that affect his decision-making
or personal form. Aggression can be a two-edged sword and Kohli’s true test
will only come when his combative nature goes wrong or when the team lets his plans
down. Unlike other team sports, the role of the captain & coach are considerably
different. The coach’s role is largely that of man-management and playing the
second fiddle to the skipper of the side. Ponting-Buchanan, Ganguly-Wright,
Dhoni-Kirsten scripted some of the finest team management illustrations in the
modern era. Kohli would need an able complementary companion in the locker room
and thus far his partnership with Ravi Shastri seems to be working just fine.
Some captains command the description of being ‘born-leaders’
and in most ways that is majorly true. On-field skills can be taught and
improved but leading a group of varied mindsets and personalities is no
text-book stuff. Likes of Tendulkar and Lara were anointed in their pomp, yet
the win percentages weren’t raised significantly, if anything it affected
personal form. The argument between best-player-in-the-eleven-as-skipper versus
the-one-with-the-most-leadership-attributes will always carry on, but like in
the past there would be a dilemma when India’s best batsman’s form becomes more
important than his leadership. The crown of thorns (as many like to call it) in
the whites now has a long-term recipient, and here’s hoping that his able
shoulders can bear the massive weight and reverse the trend of India’s test
performances outside the sub-continent, like the way he has been talking!
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