“This team can do what no other Indian team has done before,” head coach Ravi Shastri had proclaimed before the start of the ongoing India-Sri Lanka series.
Over a week into the tournament, and India have lived up to the billing. The Virat Kohli-led side has now won a series in the island nation twice, a feat no other Indian side had achieved before. This was also their eighth consecutive series win, one short of Australia’s winning run of nine achieved between 2005 and 2008.
Indeed, on the face of it, skipper Kohli has moved in the right direction nearly every time since taking over the captaincy of the Test side.
India have now won 8 Test series in a row. Only Australia have won more - 9 between 2005 and 2008.#SLvIND
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) August 6, 2017
After taking over the reins from MS Dhoni, the Delhi batsman has led from the front. His performances have been of the highest calibre and his equally determined teammates haven’t let him down either.
But, has he achieved enough to be counted among the best leaders in the world? Is he in fact the best captain in the world at the moment?
His aggressive demeanour on the field or even his press conferences that stress on the need for ‘intent’, show a consistent theme - that of confidence and a thirst for winning. However, the question arises, does this positivity reflect in his on field captaincy as well?
Off the field, it has hardly been all positive. From demands of turning tracks to his handling of the whole Anil Kumble dispute, Kohli has not quite come out as a stately leader. His verbal volleys directed at Steve Smith and Co during the India-Australia, were another example of a captain indulging in the extremes.
Leading from the front
Thrust into the role of a captain after Dhoni’s dramatic exit midway through India’s tour of Australia, Kohli showed character despite odds stacked against him.
As skipper, he lost a Test and then drew the next. He assumed the role of captain in Adelaide for the first Test in Adelaide after Dhoni was sidelined due to injury. Kohli led from the front. He became only the fourth Indian batsman to have scored a century on their captaincy debut with a fine 115-run knock in the first innings. In the second innings, India were set a target of 364 to chase on the final day.
Kohli was once again on top of his game and produced another century. His teammates, though, could not offer support as India were bowled out for 315. Kohli ended the innings on 141 and was hailed for his effort. As captain, too, he was praised for his aggressive style. The fact that India went for the win on the final day, despite the steep total, was a commendable effort.
Following Dhoni’s retirement announcement, Kohli was formally handed over the captaincy ahead of the fourth and final Test in Sydney. He celebrated the appointment by smashing his third century in as many innings as skipper of the side. India, though, played second fiddle in the contest and held on for a draw.
His next assignment was a one-off Test against Bangladesh, which ended in a draw.
The winning streak
The winning streak for the skipper began with India’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2015. India showed resolve in the series. After losing the first Test, they came back strongly and clinched the next two to clinch a historic Test series win in the island nation.
The win was crucial in more ways than one. India had arrived in Sri Lanka having lost series’ in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. Dhoni’s retirement from the format had only complicated matters. But, Kohli under the tutelage of Ravi Shastri, who was made Team Director ahead of the series, led a young side to a dramatic series victory.
Reflecting on the series, Kohli said it was a landmark for the side. “That tour for us was a landmark tour,” Kohli had said before departing for the island nation this year. “That tour for us was start of the belief that we can win, win away from home and we have the side to win away from home,” Kohli added.
India went on to beat West Indies away and registered home victories over South Africa, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia. Kohli & Co have since risen to the top of the world rankings. The team’s win in Sri Lanka for the second instance has only reflected the team’s consistency under his captaincy.
Controversial character
Despite the winning run, Kohli’s tenure has not been bereft of criticism. The skipper came under focus after the team insisted on preparation of turning tracks during South Africa’s tour to India in November 2015.
The series came under a cloud for the nature of wickets, which were heavily stacked in favour of the spinners, a key strength of India’s bowling attack. Kohli remained adamant through the series choosing to ignore the criticism.
“We are not worried about any external factors or what’s being discussed about things that are not in our control,” Kohli had said then. “If someone chooses to say or write about something which they feel is a topic of interest, that’s their choice. It’s up to us if we take it to heart or sit down and feel disappointed. We are not at all disappointed. We won a game of cricket. We are very happy about it,” he added.
This aggressive tone would re-surface when Australia came visiting. The ill-tempered series saw many verbal spats begin shared between the two captains. There were a few on-field skirmishes. However, beyond all else it was Kohli’s press statements that were the most intriguing.
He was critical of Australia’s use of the Decision Review System, after it appeared that rival skipper Steve Smith was taking directions from the dressing room before choosing to refer the decision. Kohli would just fall short of labelling his counterpart a cheat, raising a storm.
Smith said the incident was nothing but a “brain fade”. The controversy did not die down quickly as the cricket boards of both teams stepped with Kohli maintaining his accusatory tone. “I don’t regret anything that I’ve said,” Kohli had said then despite the two boards issuing a joint-statement announcing that the matter had been resolved.
His handling of the dispute with coach Anil Kumble was another sticky point. The issue blew open in the middle of India’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign. Reports suggested a rift between the skipper and coach. Kohli insisted there was no dispute, but the rumours refused to die down. It emerged that Kohli and most team members wanted the coach out. The Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising of Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, got involved. There was an attempt to resolve the issue. But by all accounts, Kohli’s reluctance to persist with the arrangement led to Kumble’s eventual ouster.
Despite the controversies, Kohli’s ability to churn out results have made him stand out. The consistency is unparalled. No Indian team before has managed to win so many series with such ease. That he adopted a young side only makes the accomplishment even greater.
Stern away tests await and Kohli will have to make buckle up for the ride. He has been blessed with an impressive set of players, who are equally determined to churn out results. In R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli has found two match-winners, who have peaked under his captaincy. Cheteshwar Pujara, who was struggling to find his groove, came into his own almost immediately when Kohli took over the captaincy. Ajinkya Rahane too has shifted up a gear in the past one year.
Impatient on the field?
Kohli, though, is hardly flawless when it come to on-field captaincy. He can tend to be impatient with his bowling changes at times and does shuffle the field around, as soon as the batsmen free their arms.
His inability to rein in Sri Lanka in their second innings of the just-concluded second Test against Sri Lanka, is a prime example.
The Sri Lanka batsmen produced a commendable fightback despite being asked to follow-on. They gave it back to the Indian bowlers, despite a wicket that was offering sharp turn to the spinners.
Kohli chose to use Ashwin sparingly. He refused to give the bowler a longer run. While Jadeja bowled long spells, Ashwin was shuffled around. Sri Lanka used the changes to their advantage. They cut down the deficit considerably and if not for Jadeja’s heroics, would have forced India to bat again.
While the result was never in question, the delay in victory warrants the captain to reflect on what transpired in the middle. The wicket was offering turn as well as variable bounce. However, India were left frustrated for much of Day 3 and 4 as Sri Lanka delayed the inevitable.
Experience under pressure
As captain Kohli has faced very few testing moments. The margin of victories for India have largely been lop-sided. The reason why the 2015 Sri Lanka series matters so much is due to the circumstances in which it was won. India had lost the first Test and were desperate to reverse their fortunes. Kohli led from the front and orchestrated a spirited comeback. The team’s performance in the third Test was exemplary.
Since then, the team has won series after series on a canter. They beat South Africa 3-0. Later they defeated West Indies 2-0, followed by a 3-0 win over New Zealand. They, then, thumped England 4-0, before beating Bangladesh in the one-Test.
The only time the team faced such a tense situation was against Australia. With the series level at 1-1, the team needed something special to get them over the line. Kohli did not lead the side when India clinched it. He was injured and had to sit out of the deciding fourth Test. Rahane was the stand-in skipper and led wonderfully as the team pulled off clinical performance under pressure to win the high-stakes series.
As India looks ahead to overseas tours of South Africa and England in the coming few seasons, the test is only going to get tougher. What Kohli & CO have achieved so far is exemplary. Winning eight Test series on the trot is no mean feat. They have already achieved the No 1 ranking, all that is left now is more success overseas.
Kohli will be keen on crossing that final hurdle. Success there will separate him from the rest of his contemporaries. Right now, some of the world’s best batsmen are leading their respective teams. Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root are all –- like Kohli – leading from the front. In terms of success, Kohli currently outweighs them by some margin but beating them in their backyard will be key.
Only time will tell if this team under the helm of Kohli can achieve what no other team has achieved before - dominance of world cricket, at home and overseas.
