'Virat Kohli has the best possible team in history': Former Indian coach Gaekwad

Former Indian cricket team coach Aunshuman Gaekwad recently revealed his thoughts on the current national side captained by Virat Kohli, and stated that Kohli's team is the best in the country's history due to its balance and the world-class players that are part of it.

In an exclusive chat with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Cricket's Facebook page, Gaekwad touched upon a variety of topics, such as the transformation of the Indian team into world-beaters and the skills a captain needs to possess.

When asked about the Indian team's relatively unsuccessful spell under Virat Kohli, the former Indian cricketer said -

"If you ask me, I believe that he (Virat Kohli) has the best possible team in Indian history. Bowling, batting, balance of team are the best. Up till now, we had no pace bowlers. We had Karsan, Roger, Kapil, but they didn't win matches for you all the time. Today, they have a battery of pacers with options, and they are winning matches for you.

"It is only a question of time. I had a word with Sachin Tendulkar when he left captaincy, I tried to convince him but he felt that he is giving 110 percent, and why can't the others (do the same).

"As a captain, one must understand that every individual is different. You can give 110, but others can give only 90, 95 percent. How to convert that into 100 percent? That is what we need to work on," added the 67-year-old.

---

The Indian cricket team under Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli's India have flattered to deceive in ICC tournaments

Virat Kohli took over from MS Dhoni as the captain of the Indian Test team in 2014 and the limited-overs teams in 2017.

Under his tenure, the Men in Blue have achieved reasonable success in the longest format of the game. But disappointing losses in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and the 2019 World Cup semi-final have marred the record of the greatest batsman in the world at the moment.

Kohli has been labelled a 'tinkerman', with his propensity for ringing in changes often seeming to hurt the team. As Gaekwad, a veteran of 40 Tests and 15 ODIs, so accurately put it, the Indian captain needs to understand how to get the best out of the incredible players at his disposal.