World Cup 2019: How Virat Kohli is essaying the leadership role to perfection

Day 17 of the ICC World Cup 2019 at Old Trafford, Manchester: As the gladiator raised his weapon high into the air, saluting all his and the 1.8 billion strong nation’s gods, the world recorded another name in the history books of cricket. 11000 runs at the age of 31.

Virat Kohli gives his fans one more reason to continue hero-worship as he not only becomes the fastest to complete 11,000 runs in ODIs but also ensures that India has its much-needed win over its arch-rivals Pakistan.

His hunger for scoring runs is never-ending, and that has placed him on par with the legends of the game. The greatest cricket player in today’s time, Kohli has inspired many a player and taken the cricketing world by storm.

Kohli never ceases to amaze us… whether it's his masterful batting or his awe-inspiring fielding. But what about his leadership?

In the bastion of legendary Indian captains, Kohli stands out - not in terms of success or win percentage but in terms of his ability to lead a team with insurmountable self-belief and vigor right until the last ball of the game has been bowled.

In the corporate world or on the field, players or the employees look up to a leader. And it is often debated whether leadership is an acquired trait or something that a person is born with.

In Kohli's case, it seems like the latter. The reason behind his success is his desire to keep things simple and remain in the present. He is well aware of the pressure the team is under to win the World Cup, with the hopes of a billion Indian fans resting on his shoulders. Yet, as the captain of the side, he tries everything possible to take it into his stride.

Similarly, in a corporate environment, revenue targets are core to a company’s growth, but a team leader will ensure that his team enjoys the process of achieving it, than being bogged down by fear of failure. Also, not to forget, Kohli has had massive additional help from none other than former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The two revel in each other’s company, and Kohli has been extremely fortunate to have a mentor of Dhoni’s stature still playing in his team, helping him navigate his way through every challenge that’s thrown at hm. To have one of the greatest captains that the cricketing world has ever seen in the dugout, backing his decisions, improving his ability to read the game and helping in the all-round development of the team - Kohli couldn’t have asked for more.

A leader must communicate with his teammates to understand if there is any kind of disharmony among the members of the side. And both Dhoni and Kohli have been very successful in achieving this.

Having said that, Kohli is a very different captain compared to the list of elite players such as Tiger Pataudi, Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni who have previously captained the Indian side. India has never had a captain who is extremely outspoken. Not that it’s the best way to victory or it helps improve the team’s success rate, but being outspoken gives a young team unparalleled confidence to believe in themselves, and express through performance when they know their skipper is backing them at every step of the game.

In cricket as well as in an organisation, certain people blossom under certain leaders. A mark of a true leader is how he gets the best from each of his team members in the most effective way possible.

Kohli has shown us why he is the most astute cricketer today, amassing runs in less-than-perfect overseas conditions, leading from the front both on and off the field, coupled with his patience and grit that has only added more flame to the fire.

Whether in sports or in the corporate world, players make it to the team purely on merit. There exists a very thin line of difference in both these worlds and hence, as a captain or a manager of the team, one needs to ensure that he/she builds an atmosphere that resonates trust and co-operation.

It is primarily a matter of managing performance, emotions and expectations that helps a team and an organisation move a step closer to its desired target.

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