Kohli’s regime could become a bit autocratic if not challenged: Former England captain Brearley

Former England captain Mike Brearley warned that India captain’s Virat Kohli’s reign can become “autocratic” if he doesn’t have people who can challenge him, DailyMail reported.

Brearely said: “He needs people around him who will tackle him, take him on, challenge him, otherwise he’ll get opinionated and dogmatic, and then powerful – sometimes for good, sometimes not.”

“I can imagine he might be difficult to play for. He’d be very impatient of carelessness or laziness or lack of intensity. And some people aren’t of that mentality.”

Brearley also foresees a sense of autocracy seeping into the Indian setup through Kohli’s strong personality. “I admire him probably as much as any cricketer I’ve seen. But there is a risk: everyone’s strengths can become faults and in his case his articulacy, his charisma, his presence, his skill, his fierce thoughtfulness could become tyrannical, a bit autocratic.”

Brearely’s comments come on the day former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s selection panel lacked the experience to stand up against the decisions of coach Ravi Shastri and Kohli.

The Oval Test

Brearely blamed Kohli’s tactics for letting the game slip in the final Test at The Oval. Outgoing Alastair Cook and England skipper Joe Root forged a massive 259-run partnership for the third wicket, effectively batting India out of the contest. The visitors went on to lose the match by 118 runs, losing the series 1-4. “I was slightly disappointed with his captaincy at The Oval, when England started to get on top,” Brearley said. “He let things drift a bit, whereas when the match was evenly fought, or they were in with a chance, or had the new ball against Root, he was keen-eyed, hawk-eyed, articulate, non-stop.”

The 76-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest captains the game has seen, hailed Kohli scoring big after settling at the crease. “Root is a terrific batsman. He hasn’t quite come off in the last year and I don’t know why it is that he keeps getting out between 50 and 100. It’s not for want of trying,” he said.

“Perhaps he starts trying too hard. Virat Kohli’s conversion rate from 50s to 100s is something like 59 or 60 per cent (it’s 54), Root’s is something like 25. It’s quite an interesting contrast – these are two of the best four or five players in the world.”