Australian great Ian Chappell has lauded India captain Virat Kohli for being able to channelise his “highly emotional temperament” towards building a versatile team that has tasted plenty of overseas success.
On Sunday, India completed a rare 5-0 whitewash in limited-overs cricket when they beat New Zealand by seven runs in the final T20 International in Mount Maunganui to continue their hot streak. While Kohli was not the captain on the day, he has now led India to yet another overseas series win across formats.
“When he first became captain, especially of the Test team, I thought his highly emotional temperament might be detrimental to his leadership,” Chappell wrote in ESPNcricinfo.
“Instead, he has ensured his emotions work for him and not against the team.”
Chappell added: “This is in line with his clear-thinking approach to the game. To hear Kohli talk about batting, and particularly his rationale for eschewing the innovative short-form shots (he doesn’t want them to corrupt his Test-match style), is to listen to a master who comprehends his craft.”
The former Australian skipper thinks India has become a versatile side under Kohli’s captaincy, which has resulted in better results overseas, especially in the shorter formats.
“Another feature of India’s cricket under Kohli has been their consistency,” Chappell said. “Despite many changes to personnel in the three formats, they continue to win regularly. They have become a far more versatile side under Kohli, and this has resulted in better overseas performances.”
India comfortably lead the World Test Championship standings with seven consecutive victories, the last four by an innings. After coming off an ODI series victory over Australia at home, India won all their T20 games in New Zealand, and Chappell reserved a lot of credit for Kohli.
“As their captain in all three international formats, the versatile Virat Kohli deserves a lot of credit for creating this winning mentality. When a captain leads a side successfully on a regular basis, especially by occasionally plucking victory from the jaws of defeat, the team begin to believe he is a miracle worker,” he said.
“Kohli has earned the respect of the team as an inspiring leader and they expect good things to happen with him in charge.”
He also praised Kohli for changing the way erstwhile Indian teams approached fielding and fitness. “As a captain, Kohli has led the way in many aspects of the game in addition to his incredible batting feats. His fitness, and insistence on high fielding standards, have resulted in India being a much improved side in both these aspects of the game.
“The fact that he has finished off so many of India’s victory opportunities has been an inspiration to other players to adopt a similar mentality.
While talking about the team’s depth, Chappell said Indian bowlers will be able to rattle New Zealand in the upcoming Tests.
“India’s pace attack has the ability to rattle the New Zealand batsmen, just as the Australians did, and India have more spin options. India’s batting is deeper than Australia’s, and I’ll be surprised if Kohli and Rohit Sharma don’t take a positive approach to Neil Wagner’s short-pitched bowling.”