Replace MS Dhoni with Virat Kohli as Test captain: Ian Chappell

MS Dhoni needs to quit as captain – Ian Chappell

Following India’s back-to-back humiliations in South Africa and New Zealand, former Australian captain Ian Chappell has said that the ‘aggressive’ Virat Kohli should replace MS Dhoni as the Indian Test captain. He feels that Dhoni is uninspiring and has become very defensive as a captain, which is hurting India.

NDTV quoted the cricketer-turned-commentator as saying: “Dhoni is a brilliant captain in the shorter versions of the game, and a master at timing his run to the finishing line as a middle-order batsman. However, as a Test captain he’s too reactive and has a tendency to let the game meander along, like an absent-minded professor strolling in the park. His conservatism allows the better players among opposition batsmen too much freedom and too many easy runs. Consequently, big partnerships, like the match-saving one by Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling, build too often.”

Writing in his Espncricinfo column, he added, “Dhoni really should have been replaced as Test captain following India’s disastrous tours of England and Australia in 2011-12, when his teams displayed little fight in losing eight matches on the trot. When a captain starts to hinder his team, he needs to be replaced. During that horror patch, Dhoni was unable to inspire his team and looked like a skipper just going through the motions. There’s no doubt that a captain — even the best of them — can stay on too long, to the point where he loses his team.”

He further emphasized, “Dhoni did bounce back when he orchestrated a convincing whitewash of Australia at home. There’s no question he’s a better captain under familiar conditions. He’s at his best with spinners operating regularly, whereas when conditions are more in tune with seamers he struggles. In fairness to the selectors, not replacing Dhoni following the disaster in Australia was understandable, as a number of senior players retired and the alternatives were few.”

On why he wants the 25-year-old as the new Indian captain, Chappell said: “A suitable alternative is now available in Virat Kohli. He has leadership experience as captain of Indian youth teams and, more importantly, he’s now the right age and has matured into a top-class batsman. Even more importantly, he has shown his mettle overseas by scoring runs in difficult arenas like the WACA and the Bullring.

“This is the sort of inspiration India need to boost their overseas record. However, what they need even more is a proactive captain who can get the best out of his bowlers when playing in unfamiliar conditions. Kohli is an aggressive batsman but that doesn’t automatically mean he’ll captain in the same manner. Ricky Ponting was an aggressive stroke-maker, but as captain he didn’t take his gambling instincts on to the field.”