Not Sure If Virat Kohli Is A Long-Term Captaincy Option, Says Graeme Smith

If the last couple of years saw Virat Kohli being lauded by one and all for his seamless transition as skipper and leading India to nine consecutive series wins in Tests, then the last couple of weeks have seen him getting criticised from several quarters for his very captaincy.

India’s reputation as the number one Test side counted for little in the African country as the Proteas outplayed them in the first two Tests to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Brilliant record as captain:

Before the tour of South Africa, India had not lost a Test series under Kohli’s captaincy since he led the team against Sri Lanka in 2015 which was his first full series as captain. India had won that series 2-1 which was their first Test series win in Sri Lanka after 22 years. After that, the Kohli-led side had defeated South Africa 3-0 before the mammoth 2016-17 season where they defeated West Indies (2-0), New Zealand (3-0), England (4-0), Bangladesh (1-0) and Australia (2-1). It was followed by two series wins against Sri Lanka.

Even in ODIs, Kohli is yet to lose a series as skipper in addition to leading the team to the final of last year’s Champions Trophy. Under his captaincy, India is ranked number one in Tests, number two in ODIs and number three in T20Is. The fact that he named the captain of both the Test as well as the ODI team of the year in the recent ICC Awards very much shows his success as skipper.

However, India’s disastrous performance in the ongoing tour of South Africa has made many doubt his captaincy skills with the latest to question Kohli’s captaincy is former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith.

Uncertain over Kohli’s longevity as skipper:

Smith not only raised doubts over Kohli’s ability to get the best out of his players but also expressed his confusion over whether Kohli is a long-term captaincy option for India. Smith went on to say that the 29-year old aggressive skipper needs a person in the support staff who can challenge his ideas and help him grow as a leader.

“When I look at him, I don’t know if he is a long-term captain option for India. His performances [with the bat] speak for themselves, but whether he can get the best out of the players around him is the question,” Smith said at a breakfast event organised by South African television network SuperSport. “When I look at Virat, I think he needs someone in his corner who can constructively challenge him and help him grow.”

“He has all the capabilities tactically, he’s good at knowing his own game, he sets a real standard on the field for everyone else and leads by example. I think it’s on the emotional side [he needs to improve], he gets very fired up without thinking about how that affects other people.

“If he had a very constructive person in his environment, who is able to have good conversations with him to make him think and challenge his ideas in a constructive way – not in an angry-aggressive way – to help him open his eyes to other possibilities; that would make him a very good leader,” added Smith.

Needs to control his emotions:

Smith, who led South Africa for around a decade with utmost aplomb, also said that Kohli needs to check his emotions for the betterment of the team.

“Sometimes as a leader, you have to consider how that impacts others in the environment. That’s an area of his leadership that he needs to cope with. Sometimes his reactions to certain situations can impact the team,” he said.

“He needs to find a level where he can connect with all his players, to help the India team become as successful as he is. Sometimes, you can be the best player in the world and love that intensity, but you don’t think about what your teammates are going through,” concluded Smith.

All for pride:

Meanwhile, India will be looking to finish the Test series on a good note by winning the upcoming third and final game which gets underway on January 24 in Johannesburg.

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