Virat Kohli can captain the side for seven more years: Ravi Shastri

Team India head coach Ravi Shastri shares great rapport with the Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Ever since they have joined hands in the Indian side, the team has only added success. Recently, Shastri spoke at length about how Virat has evolved as a cricketer and as a leader over the years. The Indian skipper has been breaking records at will in the recent past.

As per the quotes in Times of India, Ravi Shastri remarked that they share a great equation. He mentioned that they have firm faith in the opinions of one another and that is what reflects on the screens. He further noted that the hunger to win is pretty much the same between the two individuals and hence, that is rubbing off on the results very well.

“[The] equation is great. We are similar personalities. There is an element of trust in our relationship. We are both strong minded, both play to win at all costs. We play to win. We don’t go there to do time-pass,” quoted Ravi  Shastri.

“This is not a team that is out there to fill the numbers. We want to compete. We want to take the game forward. He is pretty similar in his mindset when it comes to that and he is in-your-face kind of character. With Virat Kohli, what you see is what you get,” he added further.

On the differences they have

Like all good pairs, even Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli do have the odd differences. Speaking about the difference of opinions, Shastri admitted that there are times when they have different opinions on the issue. He went on to quote that Kohli is the boss of the team and he is only there to help him. He noted that he only gives the suggestions and Kohli takes the decisions.

“It’s a dialogue. See, at the end of the day the captain is the boss. He might ask me my suggestions. It doesn’t mean he has to agree with my suggestion. Because what I am looking for is for him to have his own mind and take the decision. We are there in the support staff to give suggestion which might help so there is a dialogue. I might believe in a certain combination,” mentioned Shastri.

On Kohli’s captaincy

Speaking about Virat’s captaincy, Ravi Shastri remarked that Kohli has matured ever since assuming the leadership role. Kohli, who recently got married to Anushka Sharma, has been leading the national side pretty well. Shastri noted that Kohli can easily go an captain the Indian team for another 6-7 years for sure.

He further added that Kohli’s maturity can be seen in the way he has been handling the media. Not only does he back his players on the field, he also defends them in the media. He had recently hit hard at the critics who had questioned MS Dhoni’s place in the side.

“I think he’s very good. You can see that maturity coming. He is still young. He is 29. He has seven-eight years still left in his career easily. I mean, he can captain the side for at least six-seven years from here. And you can see him evolving. There is an element of calmness that has come into his personality which is very good from the team point of view. Because as a captain, you want him to be in your face, you want him to be hard but at the same time he is captaining the Indian cricket team,” he quoted.

“Even the way he has handled the media. I think very few people handle the media the way he does. There is no grey area. He is straight up. It’s either black or white. No arrogance there, people might mistake it at time, the perception might be that he is too straight and on your face. He is just straight,” he quoted further.

On the current Indian team

Lastly, commenting on the current composition of the Indian side, Ravi Shastri mentioned that the current lot has the hunger and self-belief to win. He explained that the other teams also had the same, but in this side, this hunger is found in abundance. Also, the results are there to be seen for all. Shastri highlighted some of the achievements of team India as the testimonials of his elucidation.

“There is hunger, there is self-belief. It’s not that the other teams didn’t have it, but this team has it in abundance and they are not shy. They have got a captain who is not shy. They have got a team director who is not shy and that spreads like a disease within the team,” said Ravi Shastri.

“They are hungry and they know for them to be rated they have to perform overseas. And they have already done it. They have already tasted success. They know what’s it like to be able to go outside and win, like for example there has been a lot of firsts with this side… beating England after 24 years in a one-day series, whitewashing Australia in a T20I series, beating Sri Lanka back to back, twice and of course the record at home,” said the Indian coach.