Virat Kohli, the right man to lead India in the final test

Opinion Monday 27/June/2022 20:05 PM
By: Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman, Danube group
Virat Kohli, the right man to lead India  in the final test

Indian team is already in England to finish the last test match which could not take place in 2021 due to few players of Indian team testing positive. A lot has changed in one year’s time with Virat Kohli stepping down as test Captain after he was axed as ODI captain. Rohit Sharma was made the captain and KL Rahul is deputy. Now with Rohit Sharma testing positive and KL Rahul too unavailable for the last test at Birmingham, who will captain team India in the deciding test match.

There have been talks that Jasprit Bumrah might be handed over the captaincy. Some say it might be Rishab Pant. Both players are vital cog of the Indian team and are the X factors if India has to win the game. Why would you put them in a spot to lead India in a test match which can decide which way the series will go?

England have been playing a different brand of cricket this summer under new captain Ben Stokes and recently appointed coach Brendon McCullum which is fearless and Gungo ho type similar to what they played under Eoin Morgan in the ODI which made them win the World Cup in 2019. The fear of losing is not there and they are taking the attack to the opposite and New Zealand just could not cope up with this new approach. England have already won the test series and are on the verge of a clean sweep Should they chase down the balance 130 runs today.

So who is the best man to take the rampaging team England in their home turf. You don’t have to look anywhere when u have Virat Kohli in the team whose aggressive approach is unmatched and unparalleled. He is the one who changed the way India played test cricket and won 40 test matches with his aggressive style of captaincy. His style had rubbed on his team mates and India always played to win and never feared losing.

But will Virat Kohli agree to lead the side after stepping down. That’s the big question as he is still hurting after he was removed has ODI captain which lead him to step down as test captain after the South Africa series. But this is the best opportunity for the selectors and Virat Kohli to have a direct conversation and bury the hatchet. Time heals all wounds and who knows Virat Kohli might agree and

lead the team.

Irrespective of the outcome of this all important test match if Indian selectors and Virat Kohli can burn the bridge and keep team India forward, it would be a win win situation for a nation which eats, sleeps and breathes cricket.