There has been much talk in the media about Virat Kohli?s elevation to vice-captaincy. Is he mature enough for the job or are they rushing into it with Kohli still finding his feet in the international arena? These are some of the questions doing the rounds. Some have even questioned his temperament?one who has shown a middle finger in the course of this tour can?t be considered ready for vice-captaincy is their considered opinion. And then there is the issue of Gautam Gambhir, who has indeed played well and has captained with distinction in the immediate past.
To the Gambhir issue first. There is little doubt he has the ability to deliver as a captain. However, both Gambhir and Dhoni are of the same age and there is no doubt either that M S Dhoni should and will continue to captain India in the one-day format for the next three years at least. In fact, it is only expected that he will lead India?s title defence in the 2015 World Cup in Australia.
In such a scenario it is prudent to have a younger vice-captain who can be groomed for the job in the next two to three years. And there is no one better than Virat on the horizon. Australia follows this policy and had in the past groomed Ponting as vice-captain under Steve Waugh and subsequently Michael Clarke under Ponting. Now, they are doing the same with David Warner. So while you feel for Gambhir, you have to agree with the selectors in taking this bold futuristic call.
To Kohli now. Australia 2011-12 has seen the maturing of Kohli as a cricketer. A century in the Adelaide test and a century at Hobart, he has been the only good thing for India on this rather disastrous tour. And, more often than not, responsibility breeds maturity. It is expected that the added responsibility of vice-captaincy will help Kohli to control his on-field aggression and evolve into a good leader few years down the line.
The other thing going for Kohli is his good rapport with M S Dhoni. It always helps if captain and vice-captain are in sync and the Dhoni-Kohli combination will be better than the Dhoni-Sehwag one.
Finally, Kohli has done enough to cement his place in the team unlike his more inconsistent counterparts like Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina and is now considered a match winner for India in the 50-over format. His on-field brilliance is an added plus and does justice to the ?leading from the front sentiment?.
He is a good speaker, has good media skills and is expressive, all of the things you need in a future captain. Having already tasted captaincy success at the junior level and having won the World Cup as a player, Kohli has adapted to the big stage nicely and can only go forward from here, form and fitness permitting.
What should worry us more than Kohli?s elevation to vice-captaincy is the form of the other younger brigade. Except Rahul Sharma and Manoj Tiwari, most of the other youngsters have been given enough chances to prove their mettle and push the seniors, and none have done it at this level so far. They have been inconsistent, so much so that you start to doubt their temperament.While Rohit was outstanding in the West Indies, Raina was the star of the one-day show against England. Jadeja made a good comeback against the English, but all of them have failed collectively in Australia. Their inability to shine in the whole series is a far bigger worry than Kohli being made vice-captain.
The question of the youngsters being given a raw deal at the expense of the seniors is plain ridiculous, for there is little doubt that Sachin, Sehwag and Gautam at the top of the order are still India?s best bet by quite a distance. With vice-captain Kohli and captain Dhoni to follow, this is a team that you can bank upon to win in the course of the next twelve months.
Finally, we have given our selectors enough flak for not having done a proper job in the past. Even now it was rather appalling to see the way the ?Sehwag rested? issue was handled. But with Kohli, you have to give them the credit?it is indeed a proactive and positive move.
The writer is a sport historian