There’s nothing Dhoni has left to achieve for any other Indian captain: Virat Kohli
Mumbai: Right from Adelaide last year, when he led the squad for the first time, Indian Cricket Team’s Test skipper Virat Kohli has shown a flair for his new role slowly stamping his authority with his contagious enthusiasm, sturdy support of his bowlers and brainy field-placements.
The results have spoken for itself. Under Kohli’s leadership, Team India first managed to script history in Sri Lanka after 22 years with a series sweep. Months later, Kohli, who made his ODI debut in Sri Lanka, played his tactical cards astutely, when he manoeuvred his troops to another memorable series win against South Africa on home soil.
Watch: How India thumped Sri Lanka to clinch historic series win
However, the Delhi lad has still got a long way to go and pointed out that his teammate and ODI skipper MS Dhoni has set the bar as far as captaincy is concerned. “He was won everything possible, taking the team to number one in ODIs, number one in Tests and T20 also in between. There’s nothing that he has left to achieve for any other captain,” Kohli said, here on Friday during the launch of the ICC World T20 2016.
Read: Indian players are criticised unnecessarily, even when we are winning: Virat Kohli
When asked on what cues can he pick from one of Indian cricket’s most successful skipper, Kohli added, “All I can try and do in the Test format is learn more composure from his captaincy and that I felt has proved important in a couple of series. Not breaking down under pressure situations is something I would definitely learn and will pick up.
“I have been learning from close quarters being vice-captain for a while. I have been noticing what he does in different situations so that also helps because he is one of the finest captains to have ever captained any sporting team.”
Also Read: MS Dhoni’s presence will help Virat Kohli
Dhoni first came into the spotlight after he led his team clinch the ICC World T20 trophy in 2007 when India, who won the tournament in South Africa, beat Pakistan in the final to be crowned the champions of the shortest format of the game in the inaugural edition.
Kohli, who was only 19 years old when India lifted the trophy in 2007, feels that the crown was an important milestone as far as Indian cricket is concerned.
“It was a very proud feeling that we have lifted a world trophy after so many years and from there on that belief stuck with the team and we ended up achieving the 50 over World Cup in 2011. I think that was a major milestone as far as Indian cricket is concerned and winning at the world stage is concerned.
“The way he (Dhoni) expressed his tactics on field, the way he led a very young team at a world stage, guys like Rohit (Rohit Sharma), Sreesanth (S Sreesanth), making them believe that this can be done, was something that came through in that World Cup and from there he became this big figure in terms of captaincy, in world cricket everywhere. He became a figure of recognition for Indian cricket all over,” Kohli added.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
