The Captaincy Debate: Staking a claim at the helm

“Virat understands he has a hot head and also understands he needs to look at that. He is young enough to accept these issues and I think he needs time to rectify those issues. He is not a stupid cricketer. He is a smart guy and has ambition to captain India, I don’t think you get leaders. He is a leader and I have seen him change.”

Ray Jennings, RCB coach.

Indian cricket is perhaps the most competitive place in the country at this point of time to try and secure a job. And it is perhaps the most difficult place to stake a claim, saying that you are the next leader of a team which boasts of legends, both retired and in the making.

The captaincy debate, for quite sometime now, has been a hugely public affair. Ever since India won the World Cup in 2011 at the Wankhede on a starry night, everyone expected India to become a major super power in world cricket, and not just financially. The victory was the icing on the cake for a team that has started winning against all the top teams in the world, reaching the pinnacle in the longest format and also the shortest. The ODI’s were, for India, a love affair that never culminated into a stable relationship for a team that was destined for the greatest glory in the world of cricket. A team that boasts of talents like the evergreen Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar and Sourav Ganguly for example, always seemed like the team to beat; unfortunately getting beaten by the top teams was leaving a scar on the team. Except for the 1983 victory against the mighty West Indian team of yore, and that heartening loss to the Aussies in the 2003 World Cup, we haven’t really left our mark on the world.

And when we won the 2011 Cup in our own backyard, everyone foresaw an Indian team that was truly the most magnificent team in the world of cricket. Under MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten, we crossed uncharted territory and triumphed in them as well. The world hailed us as the strongest batting lineup with the most class in the middle order. And like every great success story, we too had our leaders to thank. MS Dhoni was and might still be the ideal captain, as a successor to greats like Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid; his composure and great cricketing knowledge were the backbone of our achievements over the last 5-6 years or so.

As is seen all the time in this ever-challenging sport, a captain’s role is similar to that of a football manager. He, along with the coach, selects the final XI on the day. He’s the one responsible for the tactics and plans on the field. He is, of course, everyone’s scape goat when the team fails. And our horrendous 2011-2012 season post the World Cup put Dhoni under the spotlight, with almost everyone demanding for his head (except N. Srinivasan).

That’s when this extremely important topic of who is good enough to take up the mantle, should Dhoni get sacked or decide to step down from captaincy, reared its head. The most prominent name that popped up was that of Virat Kohli, the super successful under-19 skipper of the Indian team that won the World Cup in 2008. Virat Kohli was, at the time, the most consistent batsman in the Indian lineup, putting out stunning performances that consistently won him the chance to be named the deputy to Dhoni in the Asia cup, and he has never looked back since. The kid from Delhi, and the ‘Hothead’ skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, is now one of the few players who warrants a place in the side even when he’s not performing, even when he is facing a slump in form.

2008 was the most rewarding year for young Kohli as he was named the skipper for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, an event looked forward to in earnest by most senior players and coaches alike, as is evident from the number of players from the U-19 division that make it to the senior team. Players like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh are some of those players to have made it big at the international level. And it appears as though Kohli has decided to follow suit.

Ever since he was named in the side, Kohli has looked like a player possessed and a player with intent. He is a player of a new generation of cricketers in India, and is most likely the one to lead them when the time comes. Having made his debut in the side in 2008 after a successful outing in the U-19 championships, Kohli has achieved many accolades for his performances; namely his standout performances in the 2011-2012 tour of Australia against a very potent Australian pace attack on lively pitches where even senior established players struggled.

Having won the ODI Cricketer of the Year award in 2012, Kohli has made his case even stronger. And now that he is the captain of the RCB in the IPL, he is slowly but surely making his way towards becoming the captain of the Indian team. Even though he is the strongest candidate to take up the job, he has been criticized for his attitude and his problem with certain seniors in the side (read Gautam Gambhir). But as Ray Jennings recently said, you don’t get players who are born leaders, and he is one who has been moulded in the ever-challenging scenario of Indian cricket.

A captain is one who can be the difference between winning and losing. He’s the one who should be the spark in the dressing room to liven up the team when they are under-performing, to ignite the flame in the hearts of the fans to back them up. Kohli offers just that; with his ‘hotheadedness’, he is the spark required, the one to lift the team, a true enigma. His performances on the field and his performances with the bat have helped him cement his place in the squad, and that is one of the most important strides in becoming a captain. Continuity and consistency are the most compelling attributes of Kohli that make him the man suited for the job.

There is no doubt that Kohli can lead the side when Dhoni decides to call time on his career as player or captain. There are many advocates for Kohli getting the job, and a legend such as Viv Richards had this to say about him -

“I love watching Virat Kohli bat. He looks to me like an individual of my own heart. I love his aggression and serious passion that I used to have. He reminds me of myself , he is an individual who doesn’t back off from confrontation. Someone who can stand his ground under pressure. I love that as you can’t teach these instinctive aspects”.

There are other candidates of course, like Gautam Gambhir of KKR fame. Though I’ve always been a fan of Gambhir, I’ve never understood why his form dipped the way it did in the past 2 years. He was the most consistent player for the Indians till 2011. Ever since the time he was bestowed with the responsibility of captaining the KKR side, he hasn’t disappointed. His performances are what hold KKR together most of the time. But almost everyone will agree that the IPL isn’t the platform to try and make a statement about captaincy. Performances in the T20 version differ from performances in the longer formats, and more importantly when the national side is concerned. Gambhir’s form with the Indian team has disappointed beyond belief, and his attitude about it has everyone worried. And that makes his claim a lot weaker, and he probably isn’t the best person to lead the team.

So, with the relatively newer concept of split captaincy taking over, the Indian Team is no doubt one of the few who could explore this idea and see what it can do for the team’s fortunes. Dhoni is one man who simply cannot be replaced in the Test arena. His captaincy has taken a positive turn since his recent success in the Australian series and he has seemed a little more aggressive and attacking in terms of field placements and man management with regards to bowling options. So replacing him at the helm may seem extremely tough at this juncture. Kohli, as captain in ODI’s, especially after his short and successful reign as the skipper of RCB, seems a strong contender. Keeping in mind the fact that even a successful captain like Graeme Smith took over a very strong South African side at the time, it only serves to strengthen Kohli’s case.

Suresh Raina could be the best option for the shortest format. His form with the Chennai Super Kings over all the seasons has given us a good enough picture about how good the man really is. His captaincy isn’t too bad too. Aside from some failed attempts, it’s possible that he could become the skipper in the T20′s. That should help keep the seniors fit and fresh, especially after captaining 2 high profile sides.

Though he still needs a lot of cooling down to do, and a lot to learn about the world, young Kohli could well be on his way to becoming the future captain of India. And should his form stay with him for the majority of that period, it’ll be interesting to see how well he maintains his composure in pressure situations and how well he takes up the challenge. Everything said, it’s always true that only time will tell, and the race for the captaincy is never over till the fat lady sings.