Virat Kohli, in a very short span of time, has proved that he is an upgraded and improved version of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
On Monday afternoon, Indian captain Virat Kohli added another feather to his cap by becoming the first Indian captain to win 8 consecutive series across all formats as his side defeated Bangladesh by 208 runs at Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad. Previously, the record was held by MS Dhoni who guided India to 7 consecutive series in 2013 and is often also hailed as India’s best ever captain. However, his successor Virat Kohli, in a very short span of time, has proved that he is an upgraded and improved version of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
There are many reasons that make Kohli not only the best captain to lead India but also one of the best leaders of his generation, worldwide. First of all, he is a player who leads from the front and sets an example for his teammates to follow. He has taken his game to another level by hitting double centuries in last four consecutive Test series. Dhoni was a good batsman but his record in the longer format is not so impressive as the former Indian captain scored just 6 Test centuries in his 90 Tests which clearly shows he didn’t have a similar impact in this format like he did in ODIs and T20s.
Watch India’s winning moment from today’s game:
The second change that is visible in Kohli’s team is that it is more aggressive in its approach. Dhoni always preferred the 6 batsman and 4 bowlers formula with him being the wicketkeeper. On the other hand, Kohli prefers to play with five specialists bowlers which is a very good move given that more Tests are won by bowlers and than batsmen. He has asked his lower-order to contribute more with the bat and fielding 5 bowlers puts India in a better position to pick 20 wickets.
Another striking change has been the sudden transformation of R Ashwin as an all-rounder. While Ashwin always demonstrated his abilities as a batsman, for some reason, Dhoni failed to identify it despite spending so many years with him, both in Indian team and in IPL. However, Kohli promoted Ashwin to number 6 in West Indies tour last year and the results have been phenomenal. Ashwin scored two centuries on that tour and now averages almost 35 with the bat.
Ravindra Jadeja has also emerged as a genuine match-winner under Kohli by picking up wickets in bunches and is also contributing with the bat in the lower-order. He has been given the freedom to play his strokes without thinking about losing his wicket and that shows in his fearless approach. Virat Kohli hasn’t pitched the same XI in two consecutive Tests in his 23 matches as captain so far which again shows the thinking process that goes behind the door.
Suddenly, everything looks fine for India. Batsmen are scoring runs, spinners are picking wickets, fast-bowlers are more furious, fielding has been of high quality and the side has replacement for almost every spot. However, Virat Kohli’s team India’s real ability will be judged when they’ll play series in tougher conditions of nations like Australia, England and South Africa.
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