Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction!
Virat Kohli, who has just taken up the full-fledged full-time responsibility as captain of the Indian test cricket team also, needs no introduction. After all, rarely has someone caught the attention of an entire nation with his performances as well as leadership skills to be elevated to captaincy so soon.
Last it was Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who came out of nowhere to lead India and did a splendid job!
Now everyone knows the way Virat is going about his batting, he is currently the only eligible batsman in queue to break all possible records of Sachin Tendulkar! His swagger, his demeanour may all be very different than the maestro, but his run-making ability and ability to perform in almost any condition on any pitch is what makes him stand out of the crowd.
However, what is of concern is that Sachin’s captaincy is the only blot on his otherwise sparkling career! Sachin’s records as a captain are really poor and the fear is would Virat follow his footsteps? Being only a batsman is a different kind of responsibility where he focuses only on his batting. But being a captain means he would need to focus on him apart from 10 other players in equal measure and ensure India wins every possible match! Now that’s what is tricky. Not everyone is able to handle the pressure in a cool and calm manner the way Dhoni does. Even Saurav Ganguly’s batting skills took a back step when he became captain as he wasn’t able to give his best to batting.
Therefore, it is important to see that a player of Virat’s calibre is not allowed to go down the drain just because of his captaincy! As such, the only flaw in his otherwise aggressive body language is that the same kind of aggression also results in the downfall of mightiest! To be a good leader, one needs to have a calm head over his shoulders while Virat’s phenomenal performances are the result of his aggressive, non-fearing courageous batting style. That may work as a captain or might backfire as well! As of now, it has worked smoothly and everyone has been mighty impressed by his on-field performances. That is one reason he is one of the most feared players in the world today and opposition is already factoring in his presence to plan strategies against team India!
It is imperative for selectors to keep an eye on Virat the batsman more than Virat the captain! We need his batting skills more if we want India to rule the cricketing world for years to come. Let not the burden of captaincy affect this potentially huge batsman out to re-write the record books of cricket!
