World Cup 2019: 3 ways Virat Kohli has matured as a captain

3. Bowler rotation

Virat Kohli has used Jasprit Bumrah brilliantly in this World Cup

This has been the key to India's success in the tournament so far. Kohli has used the potent bowling arsenal at his disposal to the fullest and in the most prudent ways.

His masterstroke against Afghanistan was to bring back Jasprit Bumrah, the No. 1 bowler in the world, in the middle overs. Bumrah used his sharp bouncers in the most effective way possible, breaking the third-wicket partnership and getting two wickets in the same over.

Kohli marshaled his best bowlers brilliantly that day, with Bumrah and Mohammed Shami bowling the final two overs amidst mounting tension and with Afghanistan needing 21 off them. They did not disappoint the captain as Bumrah his the bull's eye with his yorkers and Shami was straight as an arrow, claiming a hat-trick while helping his team to a tense win.

Even in the other matches, the second spells by the strike bowlers, especially Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, have been key. Both were brought back at the right time when Australia were mounting a charge, and both struck for the captain.

Kohli has also used Hardik Pandya cannily as a bowler, often persisting with him beyond what conventional wisdom might have dictated. He has handled the two main spinners very flexibly, with both short and long spells depending on the situation. And his use of Shankar against Pakistan as a change bowler who broke partnerships, paid huge dividends.

Kohli has married his immense urge to win and his passion to engineer victory with carefully thought-out plans in the World Cup. This maturity has transformed a very talented side into a winning machine.

Problems still exist, mostly with the middle-order who were starkly exposed by Afghanistan. MS Dhoni's lack of fluency and Kedar Jadhav's circumspection have received flak too. The team might benefit from trying out new team combinations in the next matches, especially with Risabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja waiting in the wings.