The Test captaincy left him surprised but Virat Kohli says he is better-prepared to lead India in the limited-overs format as he has already picked up some tricks of the trade.
Kohli was the obvious choice for captain in the limited overs format after Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to step down days before the England series, beginning January 15. Kohli wasn’t such an obvious choice in Tests after Dhoni announced his shock retirement midway into the Australia series in 2014.
“Test captaincy I think I was told a day before the Adelaide Test that MS is not going to play the game and I was going to be captaining. It was quite surprising. I didn’t expect it at all. In my head I was still finding my feet in Test cricket as a batsman. But the responsibility worked beautifully for me,” said Kohli comparing the scenarios in which he was appointed captain.
Kohli has had a dream run since that Australia tour and is now considered among the top batsmen playing the game.
He feels just like it has worked for him in Tests, captaincy across formats will push him even more.
“It (captaincy in Tests) took a bit of time to process and understand how it is done. Yes I would say the ODI and T20 captaincy has been something that I have tried to learn along the lines a lot more. At the same time, I feel a lot more confident taking it up and starting it up straightaway because of the kind of cricket I have played in the shorter formats and what I have learnt,” he was quoted as saying by BCCI website.
He knows captaincy in limited overs format is a different ball game and hailed the contribution of Dhoni.
How did he react to the captaincy news? “The first reaction is obviously it is a very special moment in my life. It’s a lot of responsibility and something I am really looking forward to. I didn’t realise when this transition happened in my own head. Starting off as a player just wanting to play for India and now having the responsibility to be captain in all three formats. I feel very grateful that I have been given this opportunity,” said Kohli.
He feels lucky to still have Dhoni in the dressing room.
“It is a win win situation for the new captain coming in. Still having him for advice, for inputs and for cricketing brain that he has. But I am really happy and pleased that he would be able to play freely. He would be able to express himself as the aggressive MS Dhoni we knew when he came into the team. Somewhere as a player you understand that responsibility can take that away from you. I think it is time he enjoys his cricket for much ever time he wants. He has taken so much burden for the country and it is his time to enjoy. Obviously, these are massive shoes to fill. You think of MS Dhoni and the first word that comes to mind is captain. You don’t relate MS Dhoni in any other way. For me he is always going to be my captain because I started my career under him. He is handing over the leadership to me,” said Kohli.
Kohli said he would continue picking Dhoni’s brain. “On the field, obviously I would be running to him quite a lot. Even now when I was captain we would always have discussions and he would come to a conclusion. About the batting bit, if I ask him where he wants to bat, he would tell me “wherever you want me to bat”. That is the kind of person he is. But I would love to see him bat higher up usually than what has been over the years. As I said, if he enjoys his cricket, the team is in a very solid space. His ability, understanding of the game and situations is priceless.”