Published: Aug 10, 2015, 02:40 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 10, 2015, 02:40 PM (IST)
Virat Kohli, India’s 32nd Test captain, is all set to begin his first full-time tenure (if one discounts the one-off Test against Bangladesh) with the Sri Lanka tour. The tour will consist of three Tests, and will present fair opportunity for both teams to take a stock of the situation. Though the fans may not feel very excited about yet another India versus Sri Lanka contest, it comes with its own unique attractions, Kumar Sangakkara’s retirement after two Tests into the series being the highlight. Devarchit Varma tries to ascertain what India, an extremely promising side with firepower in their ranks despite innumerable shortcomings, can achieve under the visionary they have in their new captain Virat Kohli.
The last time India and Sri Lanka clashed in a Test series was five years back. India had toured Sri Lanka in August 2010 and had managed to draw the series thanks to a superlative fourth-innings hundred from VVS Laxman after suffering a 10-wicket humiliation in the first Test at Galle. The last time these two teams had met in a limited-overs series was in late 2014, when the Sri Lankans were handed travel tickets to India out of the blue after West Indies pulled out midway through their tour. Rohit Sharma had massacred the Sri Lankans with a brutal 264 at Kolkata in one of the One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
They had clashed in the final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and ICC World T20 2014. Both sides are competitive and are among the best in the world. Despite having not played enough Test cricket in the last few years, an India versus Sri Lanka series does not generate much interest in the fans. Indians are delirious about anything related to Kohli, but are not roused with his first complete series as their Test captain.
It will be an understatement to say that Kohli faces a massive challenge as Indian captain. The transition period is over. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit, Ajinkya Rahane, and of course, Kohli himself have had their first brush with the cruelties of international cricket. Pujara was exposed in England and Australia, while Rohit has been found wanting in testing conditions. Kohli had a horror tour of England.
Rahane is the only one to have shown gumption in adversities in all conditions. The men have all garnered enough experience touring overseas for Indian fans to reapply their expectations. But the real questions are: is Kohli’s India ready? What can they realistically achieve?
Kohli has made his ideologies clear. He wants to play a dodgy Rohit at No. 3 and to cover up the shortcomings of a debile bowling attack by including as many options as he can. Kohli wants to play in the subcontinent with five bowlers on pitches where they are often reduced into bowling machines. He wants the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha and Harbhajan Singh to step up as batsmen, which is an aggressive, interesting and refreshing approach. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli’s trial by fire as Test captain begins with tour of Sri Lanka
Standing next to MS Dhoni in Tests that slowly drifted away from control and turned into innumerable defeats, Kohli has indeed put his mind to some use. But will it help?
Kohli is young and aggressive. He seems to get demoralised sooner than expected and has the tendency to lose cool on the field. Indian fans will surely censure him for that. After all, the charm of Dhoni’s calmness is unmatchable. But Kohli has to be given time: he will need it to settle down as a long-term option for Indian captaincy. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli angers Indian Government by eating crabs in Colombo; faces ban
India’s fortunes swing as drastically as every other team’s. The iconic win at Lord’s in 2014 was the last time they tasted success in Test cricket. They tried to play out of their skins in Australia and came agonisingly close to winning a Test Down Under. But success keeps eluding them.
Indian batsmen have prospered on tracks that suit them. Once the ball starts moving or bouncing higher than expected, they are often found wanting for solutions. Pujara dominated England and Australia in his backyard, but was nowhere close to his abilities when India toured the two countries. Rohit flopped in his only Test in England and squandered almost all opportunities he got in Australia; and Kohli had the worst series of his career in England.
Indian bowlers can cause damage, but unfortunately that happens once in a lifetime. Because of trying to stick to the basics and not having efficient plans in minds have caused them far too much harm. Despite having played 62 Tests and seven years of international cricket, Ishant Sharma still doubts himself. ALSO READ: Ishant Sharma embodies the present state of Indian bowling
The upcoming series will serve as a excellent opportunity for India to determine how far they have come since they changed their approach in Test cricket. They can achieve a lot in the subcontinent where conditions are favourable. They are done with their tours of almost all major Test-playing nations, and it is time for the teams to visit India. Kohli’s India can certainly avenge their defeats, but must keep in mind that remained confined to winning in favourable conditions will never make them the team they want to become.
(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
