Critique of Virat Kohli's Captaincy: Missed Opportunities and High Expectations
Reflections on Kohli's Captaincy
Harbhajan Singh, a former Indian spinner, expressed that Virat Kohli should have achieved more trophies during his tenure as a white-ball captain. Tom Moody, an ex-Australian cricketer, described Kohli's leadership period as a 'disappointment'.
Upcoming ICC T20 World Cup
Both Harbhajan and Moody shared their insights on the 'Rise of Champions' program on JioHotstar, as India gears up to defend its ICC T20 World Cup title next year, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The Indian team will kick off their campaign against the USA on February 7, competing in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
High Expectations from the Indian Team
Aaron Finch, the former Australian captain and 2021 T20 World Cup champion, commented on the immense pressure on the Indian team, stating, 'With such experience and talent, expectations are sky-high. The team's reputation brings its own challenges.'
Kohli's Missed Opportunities
Harbhajan expressed disappointment regarding Kohli's performance as a white-ball captain, despite his success in Test cricket. Under his leadership, India failed to secure major trophies, suffering a significant 180-run defeat to Pakistan in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, narrowly losing to New Zealand by 18 runs in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal, and exiting the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in the group stage after losses to Pakistan and New Zealand.
He remarked, 'Given the caliber of the team Virat had, they should have won three or four trophies. If they didn't, there must be reasons, but I believe he had a strong team.'
Concerns Over Team Selection
Sanjay Manjrekar raised issues regarding team selection during the Kohli-Shastri era, stating, 'My primary concern was always the team selection under Ravi and Virat.'
A Different Perspective
In contrast, AB de Villiers, a South African batting legend and close friend of Kohli, shared a different viewpoint, expressing irritation at the notion that players should be judged solely on World Cup victories. He stated, 'It's unfair to label a captain as ineffective just because they haven't won a World Cup.'
Final Thoughts
Tom Moody summarized the Kohli era by saying, 'It was a period filled with high expectations but ultimately led to disappointment.'
During Kohli's captaincy, India played 50 T20Is, winning 30, losing 16, with two ties and two no results, achieving a win percentage of 60%. In ODIs, Kohli led India in 95 matches, securing 65 victories, losing 27, with one tie and two no results.