It's Difficult To Put Virat Kohli In The Same Category As Clive Lloyd And Steve Waugh: Graeme Swann

Former England spinner Graeme Swann believes that the current Indian team is not one of the greatest of all time and Virat Kohli should not be counted in the bracket of Clive Lloyd and Steve Waugh. Graeme Swann’s comments followed after Sunil Gavaskar called the current Indian side as amongst the best, comparing it to the team in 1986, which won the Benson & Hedges World Series of Cricket. Instead, Swann believes that the one captained by MS Dhoni in 2012 was the best.

The Indian team has been absolutely dominant in home conditions as they haven’t lost a Test series since England beat them in 2012. Moreover, with the depleted Indian side beat Australia two months ago in their backyard further cemented their legacy. Virat Kohli’s run as the skipper has been outstanding as he has led the side with conviction, while the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, and Cheteshwar Pujara have also contributed to their supremacy.

Graeme Swann believes that the Indian team of 2012, which England beat in the sub-continent, was superior to the current bunch. While the 79-Test veteran reckons that the present side is a fine outfit with a great captain at the helm, it would be too soon to place Virat Kohli in the category of Clive Llyod and Steve Waugh.

“The Indian team I played against in 2012 was way better than this. I mean, how we beat India back then I’d never know. They are a fine team, I think they have got a good leader. I think it’s very difficult to put Virat Kohli in the same category as Clive Lloyd, Steve Waugh because a captain is judged on how well his team does,” Swann told Star Sports.

I don’t think we should get too carried away: Graeme Swann

The 41-year old went on to state that the Australian team India beat a couple of months ago was not the ones their predecessors faced. While an exceptional side with a good captain and on track to become one of the all-time greats, Swann feels they can’t get carried away.

“They are a very good team at the moment but I don’t think the Australian team that India went and beat two months ago was anywhere near the Australian team, that say MS Dhoni had to face or Sachin Tendulkar or Ganguly. So you have to take it with a pinch of salt. He’s a very good captain, with a very good team under his belt, but we should leave it at that now. I don’t think we should get too carried away but he’s certainly on track to be probably one of the all-time greats,” he added.

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