Australia vs India 2018: Virat Kohli is Still Learning as Captain - Anil Kumble

Virat Kohli is currently the best batsman in the world. However, there is denying the fact that Virat Kohli is still a work in work in progress as the captain of the Indian team. Former Indian skipper and coach Anil Kumble believes Virat Kohli is still learning as the captain of the side. In fact, Kohli is showing the improvement as a leader of the team.

Kohli has led with aplomb and the results have been a testimony of the fact. The Indian captain likes to lead in an aggressive way and has his own methods of getting the best out of his players. Kohli likes to take the bull by its horns and he is not a kind of a leader who likes to hold any punches.

Virat Kohli should be smart in setting up the field for lower order.

However, one is always learning as the captain of the side and Kohli is surely improving. The talisman has calmed down a bit as compared to the initial stages of his leadership. Thus, the maturity and experience have been palpable in Kohli’s captaincy.

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One area where Kohli needs to work is the field he sets for the lower order of the opposition. Kohli likes to spread his field too early for the tailenders. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense as the Indian bowlers who have dismissed the top order batsmen, can also get the better off the lower order batters in a traditional way.

Anil Kumble said while talking to Cricket Next, “I don’t think any captain or any players is a finished product. I mean you’re constantly learning and I’m sure Virat is also constantly learning from all the experiences that he’s had in South Africa and also in England. You spoke about the key moments, that’s something he’ll have to grab on the field. He needs to identify that and possibly India got a bit complacent when they picked up to 5-6 early wickets in England and then let things drift”.

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Anil Kumble has observed Virat Kohli from close corners as the latter was the coach of the Indian team for one year. Jumbo believes Kohli will learn from his mistakes on the England tour. In fact, Australia has a good lower order in Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, who all can bat.

“That’s something that I’m sure he would’ve learnt from his experience in England. Going by that, Australia have some decent batting lower down, Cummins has hurt India a couple of times, Starc has hurt India. So, India is aware of the capabilities of the lower order of Australia. That’s something that they wouldn’t want to take for granted. As a captain you’re constantly learning, the conditions are going to be different. I guess the bowling will have to be different from the way you bowl, especially with the Kookaburra ball. Between the 20th and the 60th over is where the challenge is for the Indian cricket team”.

Anil Kumble has hit the nail on the head once again. India will like to come good in the forthcoming series. The first Test match will take place at Adelaide from 6 December.