Life after captaincy: Virat Kohli counts on gains as a batter

PTI

New Delhi, January 31

Citing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as an example, Virat Kohli says one doesn’t need to be the captain of a team to be a leader and now that he is not the India skipper, he might contribute more as the side’s batting mainstay.

Kohli shocked the cricketing world earlier this month when he stepped down from Test captaincy following the South Africa debacle. He ended up as India’s most successful Test captain.

When you think of moving forward and achieving more, you feel like you have done your job. Now as a batsman may be you have more things to contribute. You can make the team win more Virat Kohli

His unexpected decision came after he resigned as the T20 team captain before being removed as ODI skipper.

During Digit’s ‘Firseside Chat with VK’, Kohli spoke about how one can contribute to the team even when he is not its leader.

“Everything has a tenure and time period. You obviously have to be aware of that. People might say ‘what this guy has done’ but you know when you think of moving forward and achieving more, you feel like you have done your job. Now as a batsman may be you have more things to contribute to the team. You can make the team win more. So take pride in that. You don’t need to be a captain to be a leader. As simple as that,” he said.

Kohli had taken over captaincy from Dhoni, first in Tests and then limited-overs cricket. “When MS Dhoni was in the team it was not like that he was not a leader. He was still the guy we were going to constantly to get inputs,” he added. “...but for him to understand that yes it is natural progression and a natural time for me to take over and take Indian cricket forward to a level that I wanted to and as long as I feel that I have done that job without having materialistic goals, that has a longer lasting effect.”

Kohli also talked about the timing of moving on. Rohit Sharma has taken over from him as the white-ball captain while the board is yet to announce his successor in the five-day format.

“Taking the decision to move on is also part of leadership to understand the right time to do it. To understand that may be the environment needs a different direction,” Kohli said. “Obviously same culture but a different set of ideas to boost people in a different way and contribute in a different manner. One has to embrace all kinds of roles and responsibilities. I always thought like a captain even when I was a player,” he added. — PTI

Windies name T20Is squad, Hetmyer out

St John’s: The big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer remained unavailable due to fitness issues as West Indies named a 16-member squad for the T20I series against India, keeping faith in the outfit that defeated England in a five-match home contest earlier this month. Eleven players feature in both the limited overs squads — Keiron Pollard, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Hayden Walsh Jr. Hetmyer was left out on fitness grounds once again.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#ViratKohli