Kohli is a shade better than Steve Smith: Ian Chappell

Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell believes Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are legends in the making. In his recent column for ESPNcricinfo, Chappell showered heavy praise on the two emerging leaders in world cricket. He cited the role of Kohli and Smith in leading their respective sides with heaps of runs in their kitty. Currently, they are also the two top ranked batsmen in Test cricket.

The Indian Test skipper has been a juggernaut as captain and has faced only 2 defeats in 21 Tests. At the same time, Steve Smith has stood strong despite Australia facing hiccups in Tests recently. Ian Chappell reckons that scoring heavy runs is the best way to lead the team.

“Both Kohli and Smith have successfully managed the priority of being batting captains. Never forget that making a mountain of runs is a sure way to lead by example. Kohli has displayed the ability to lift his already high standard in times of need, and there was no better example than his second-innings century against Australia at Adelaide Oval. Not only was it an inspirational innings, it firmly declared his hand as a captain who would try to win the game for as long as humanly possible,” quoted Ian Chappell.

Talking about Smith, he cited the example of Hobart Test against South Africa. The entire team bundled out for a paltry 85 but Smith showed fight with a gritty 48. “Even when his team was going through a horror patch of five successive Test losses, Smith remained the side’s most consistent batsman. His defiant 48 not out in Hobart, when everyone around him succumbed to the relentless South African attack, was a great example of a captain who refused to wilt,” he quoted.

Adding further, Ian Chappell rates Kohli a shade higher than Smith at the moment. Reasoning out, he quoted, “One area where Kohli has shaded Smith is in the handling of spinners. Under his leadership R Ashwin has prospered as the leader of India’s attack. In contrast, there have been times when Nathan Lyon has struggled to the point where his selection was in doubt until he produced a much-improved effort in Adelaide.”

He added that a captain must know his bowlers. With effective field setting, he can do wonders for his bowlers. “For a captain who understands bowling – and especially in relation to spinners – the original placing of the field and any resultant changes should come fairly naturally. If it doesn’t then the bowler and the team are in trouble,” he added.

Australia is scheduled to tour India in February next year. Chappell believes that it will be closely contested series between two of the greatest modern day captains of the game. “It should be a fascinating contest between these two evolving captains when they clash in early 2017. With both aspects – batting and captaincy – of equal importance, it will be the one who provides plenty of runs and inspiration for his bowlers who will be holding aloft the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” he conceded.