Virat Kohli has been in phenomenal form impressing one and all with his excellent technique, dashing style and charismatic leadership. He has indeed become the talisman for Team India and has arguably been the best talent to have emerged out of the tricolour nation since Sachin Tendulkar.
Be it his 133 against Sri Lanka in Hobart to guide India to a remarkable win in a CB series match in 2012, his 900+ runs in this year’s IPL or his double century against the West Indies in the recently concluded test, the records just keep on tumbling for the outstanding batsman from Delhi.
His excellent form in all formats of the game has helped him amass almost 3,000 runs in the last year, in all competitions. If this is the sign of things to come for this priceless gem of Indian cricket, then things can only get better if he could continue to keep his head down and work diligently as he has done so far.
But what has been most remarkable is the ease with which he has taken on the captaincy duties from MS Dhoni and made his mark with some brilliant and aggressive style of captaincy.
We look at 4 things we have learned about his captaincy.
Aggressive style
Virat has shown an aggressive style of captaincy which had been missing since Sourav Ganguly was relieved of his duties and this has been seen as a welcome change in the eyes of many Indian supporters. Kohli has been aggressive in captaining the test team and giving follow-ons in good situations which his predecessors Dhoni and Dravid refrained from.
As New Zealand legend Martin Crowe said-
“Kohli exudes the intensity of Rahul Dravid, audacity of Virender Sehwag and the extraordinary range of Sachin. It won’t be wrong to say Kohli also has the much-needed aggression of Sourav Ganguly!”
Pressure does not exist in his dictionary
His 200 in the recently concluded Test against the West Indies was a testament to his excellent batting form. Virat has answered all his doubters who felt that he might flunk under pressure but his exhilarating stroke play combined has given a glimpse of his sharp character and overall game intelligence. Since being appointed captain, he has had an average of over 74 in Tests and he has shown some excellent form in the past one year. Virat is the only batsmen in the world to have an average of over 50 in T20 internationals.
Putting the team first
After the IPL final loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kohli had this to say, "Definitely proud of the way we played this season. This was for people of Bengaluru. They have supported us in the worst of seasons. We would have loved to be on other side of result. We went for a few but wicket was nice. Me and AB getting out close to each other was a big blow. Had I stayed with AB a little longer, it would have been different.”
It is heartening for every Indian fan to hear him say that, which also tells us that he always puts his team first. His excellent work ethic along with his ever-improving attitude has just given us a glimpse of the legend he can become. Kohli opened the innings for RCB which was not his natural position but still excelled remarkably and made his presence known with some marvellous displays.
Virat has become a role model for youngsters worldwide and his immense desire to work has impressed one and all. He regularly motivated his teammates during matches and lauded them in post-match interviews which shows his excellent man management skills.
Maturity
Hailing from Delhi and typical of Delhiites, a brash attitude was always a part of Kohli’s personality, but the calmness which he has shown in the last few months and the way that his attitude has changed from – an outspoken young cricketer to a calm and composed member of the team – has just been another trait which has propelled his rise. With the ever demanding situations coming up now and again during matches, it is easy for an international cricketer to lose his composure but Virat’s transition to a mature leader has been phenomenal and a welcome change in his personality.
Conclusion
Kohli has seen a meteoric rise in his form since the beginning of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and it is understandable that the euphoria created by his staggering form has impressed everyone, including some of the greatest to have stepped on the pitch.
It is fair to say, though, that he has a long way to go to reach the heights achieved by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar but shows incredible confidence every time he steps onto the pitch. We hope that Virat Kohli continues to bash bowling attacks at the drop of a hat just as he has done so far and become an example for generations to come!
