Former Australian captain Ian Chappell on Sunday said that Virat Kohli, who was India’s stand-in captain in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval against Australia, should be given full-time Test captaincy as Mahendra Singh Dhoni has already passed his “use-by-date” as the skipper.
“In India’s case, Kohli’s performance over three and a half days must have tempted the selectors into thinking now is the right time to elevate him to full-time Test captaincy. There’s no doubt that Dhoni has passed his use-by-date as a Test captain, and this seems the perfect time to enact the changeover,” wrote Chappell in a column for ESPNcricinfo .
He also wrote about the remarkable performance of Kohli, who struck a century in both the innings, and stated that it was a strong message sent to the hosts.
“Virat Kohli, India’s stand-in captain but potential of a full-time leader, countered with an innings marked by plenty of physical courage, producing a glittering array of shots after receiving a fearful blow to the head,” Chappell wrote.
“Kohli’s innings issued a strong challenge to his own team and sent a simple but forceful message to his opponents: We will not be brushed aside as easily as the last time we were in Australia.”
Kohli, knocking up 115 in the first innings and 141 runs in second, almost took India to victory but the team fell short by 48 runs, owing to disastrous batting display from the middle and lower order batsmen.
However, the 71-year-old Chappell was concerned with the fact that it was Kohli’s temperament that needed to be dealt with if he was to be the next Indian skipper.
“The one issue that has always clouded the future of Kohli as a captain raised its ugly head in Adelaide when his emotions got the better of him as a second on-field altercation erupted,” he wrote.
“This is a young Indian side, full of potential and the desire to establish its competitive credentials. As a player, Kohli has indicated he’ll be buoyed by the leadership duties, not weighed down by them. However, his petulance on day four raised doubts about his ability to provide the calm, thoughtful presence that could mould the team’s potential into a combative winner,” added Chappell.
