Pakistan cricket legend Shahid Afridi has said that India captain Virat Kohli is one of his favourite cricketers but he needs to improve as a captain.
Kohli is currently leading the Indian team in their third overseas tour this year – in Australia – after visits to South Africa and England. India tasted Test series defeats both South Africa and England but have a good chance of breaking their duck in Australia, considering the hosts’ best batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner are banned.
India’s tour of Australia did not get off to the best of starts as they lost to the hosts by four runs in the first Twenty20 International on Wednesday, in a match that was cut short by rain. There were some pundits who said that some of Kohli’s decisions during the match cost India the game.
Kohli demoted himself to No 4, asking KL Rahul to go one-down after openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. The move failed as Rahul was dismissed for 13 in the ninth over. By the time Kohli came out to bat, almost half of India’s innings was already over. He was eventually dismissed for just four of eight balls.
Earlier in the match, Kohli also did not get Jasprit Bumrah to bowl to the big-hitting Chris Lynn, who scored 37 off 20 balls. The India captain’s decision to pick Krunal Pandya instead of Yuzvendra Chahal also raised some eyebrows, as Australia won only their sixth international match in 23 attempts since the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa earlier this year.
“Virat Kohli is one of my favourite players but he needs to improve as a captain,” Afridi told news channel Times Now.
“India-Australia series is going to be a very exciting contest and this Indian team has what it takes to beat Australia in Australia but the team needs to play together,” he added.
India and Australia will face off in the second T20I on Friday in Melbourne.