Kohli's most crucial Test awaits at Vizag

Tanay Tiwari 14:04 16/11/2016
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  • Kohli was put under a lot of pressure at Rajkot.

    On one of India’s earliest tours to England, in 1936, the team selection got a lot of flak. This happened when a man went into the room as selector before returning  as captain.

    As baffling as it sounds, the Maharajkumar of Vizianagaram did precisely this. The role of a captain has evolved ever since and after almost eight decades since, the captain of a cricket team is generally a leader in all senses of the word.

    Among the current captains across formats and teams, Virat Kohli is perhaps the most expressive. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s great when his team is on top; he can potentially intimidate the other side with his aggression. But it’s a curse when his team is down and out, dejection etched across the Indian Test captain’s face.

    While the frequency of the latter happening has been pretty low in the short stint that Kohli has had as a captain thus far, it was apparent when India drew the first Test against England in Rajkot.

    KOHLI'S TEST CAPTAINCY RECORD

    • Matches: 18
    • Won: 10
    • Drawn: 6
    • Lost: 2

    The Test skipper was left stranded in the fourth innings of the game when India’s middle-order tumbled against some pretty decent spin bowling from England.

    Now this was a rare sight. Of all the places across India, the Indian middle-order [historically known to be the best players against spin] failed against spin bowling at Rajkot [one of the flattest batting tracks in India]. When asked in the post-match press conference whether the English spinners out-bowled their Indian counterparts, a slightly peeved Kohli shot back, “they [England] would have won if they did”.

    That Kohli had to specifically state that the Indian spinners were equally good tells a story in itself. Amit Mishra, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja together only took nine wickets in the match while the spin trio from England took 13 wickets.

    But, more than the lackadaisical performances by the Indian spinners with the ball on a pitch which didn’t support them enough until the last day, it is how the Indian batsmen played spin which is worrying. Especially in the second innings where India had to bat time in order to save the game.

    The pitch surely seemed to misbehave the most in the last two sessions of the Test match, but the shot selection from India’s top and middle-order was appalling, and it seemed to disappoint the captain more than anyone else as he held one end firmly.

    England came to India as definite underdogs after they were defeated in a Test by Bangladesh in Dhaka. The threat that the Indian spin trio posed was palpable.

    Also, India, juxtaposed to England, were coming on the back of a thumping series victory against New Zealand. To stand up and perform the way England did is worthy of all the praises.

    Save for twice, Adelaide in 2014 and Galle in 2015, which are also the only two losses in the 28-year-old’s account as captain, Kohli hasn’t been under such pressure ever. Suddenly, in home conditions, a team which was labelled an an underdog stood up and not only outplayed India, but also, at various moments dominated them.

    For the first time, a team led by Kohli was dominated at home.

    When the two teams take the field to play the second test in Visakhapatnam, not only will the pressure be on India, but it will also be the Indian Test skipper’s first real test.

    Kohli’s side had been gliding pretty seamlessly until it ran into an air pocket of a determined English side. This air pocket has caused a lot of turbulence already. But, unlike other captains, Kohli loves a turbulence from time to time. It not only unsettles things, but also challenges him.

    Come Vizag, Kohli is in for a vital test of his leadership skills. His flight has hit some rough weather, to steer it out to the sunshine will take some adroit captaincy.

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