Why Virat Kohli’s captaincy reminds us of Saurav Ganguly

Why Virat Kohli’s captaincy reminds us of Saurav Ganguly: Virat Kohli has already proved the impact of his leadership by breaking away records. Recently India team won the home series against South Africa after 9 years under Kohli’s captaincy. Expert says Kohli has lots of similarities with former skipper Saurav Ganguly.

Ganguly had to face lots of questions during his career and here Kohli also started his career in the same way while the hosts’ unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series was purely due to the skills of their players, and not the pitches. Cricketing world is questioning India’s tactics of preparing rank turners in the ongoing Test series against South Africa, Ganguly came out in support of the move.

Here are some overviews:

Ganguly wanted to win always and Virat also has this passion in him. The outcome of this passion is back to back win’s against South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Kohli’s aggressive intent brought back that era in Indian cricket which was ruled by Ganguly. The method and tactics use to break all records or make new records, a gift to cricket lovers.

Kohli’s on-field aggression helps to win the match and keep the opponents under pressure. When Australia was the best cricket team in the world between 1995 and 2010, they were also the most aggressive. When the West Indies were the best team in the world for the 15 years before that, they were also the most aggressive. Reportedly Kohli also once told Ganguly “I want to win like you.”

Dada played three Tests, six innings, 106 runs at an average 17.67, the highest score of 48. In sheer numbers, that was his contribution to India’s cause in the 2001 series against Australia. As a batsman, he struggled badly and the Aussies were at him constantly ex-cricketers were criticising him but do we remember any of that?

Instead of remembering Dravid-Laxman, Harbhajan and Kolkata; we remember Ganguly not crumbling as Australia put their mental disintegration tactics into play; we remember his unbridled aggression; we remember the all-conquering Aussies failing at the final frontier once again. That series was the making of Ganguly as a leader of men, as a leader we still fondly remember and as the one his team looked up to and respected, stood by, and fought like hell for.

It is also a reason why many wish they could get back to the time when Ganguly was captain of India. For many, Virat Kohli’s elevation as the skipper might just grant that wish. Kohli has gradually emerged as Ganguly 2. Unlike Ganguly, he has no visible flaws in his batting technique and he is ready to take on the opposition and wants to win while playing positive, aggressive and attractive cricket. Intention wise Kohli has already proved himself as the Ganguly mould of captain, he doesn’t like to hold back or seek safety. India will play to win every time they step out onto the field.

Ganguly took over in the aftermath of match-fixing. India needed someone to hold the team together and make the nation believe. Not only in the team but in cricket itself, the left-hander not only did that, but he made them believe they could beat anyone, anywhere. Moreover, he made us all want to watch the sport again.

For Virat too, the shadow of the Mudgal commission will be ever present and we still aren’t even through the worst of it. Some of his team-mates might be in the trouble, the ex-BCCI president certainly is. If cricket was at its lowest after the match-fixing scandal in 2000, it isn’t much higher now.

Virat’s challenges too, are very similar to the ones Dada went through. If anything, it’s even tougher for Virat. And last but not the least; he must not fall back in the trap of blaming the ‘process’ for everything. Building a team is fine but as Vince Lombardi once said, ‘If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score?’

Written by Manami