Opinion

Virat Kohli has earned the respect of his team as an inspiring leader: Ian Chappel

Written by Vishwas Gupta

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell heaped praise on Team India captain Virat Kohli, saying that Kohli has ensured that his emotions work for him and not against the team. Ian Chappel said that Kohli deserves a lot of credit for creating winning mentality in the team.

Virat Kohli is the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history with overall 33 wins, record 13 overseas test wins and highest ever win percentage recorded with greater than 2 matches as captain.

“When he first became captain, especially of the Test team, I thought his highly emotional temperament might be detrimental to his leadership. Instead, he has ensured his emotions work for him and not against the team. 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,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo.

Ian Chappell also feels that Kohli has earned the respect of the team as an inspiring leader and they expect good things to happen with him in charge.

“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. Kohli has earned the respect of the team as an inspiring leader and they expect good things to happen with him in charge.”

“There is also greater depth now in Indian cricket, and this applies to the fast-bowling stocks as well as the traditionally strong areas of batting and spin bowling. There are signs that young batsmen like KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are maturing quickly, and this is not surprising, given when regularly see the high standards Kohli sets”.

About the author

Vishwas Gupta