Internet Desk: Virat Kohli led Indian cricket team thumped Australia 4-1 in the recently concluded ODI series at home. With this one sided series win the Men in Blue have also reached the top spot of the ICC ODI rankings. Virat & Co. are the top side of the world in both Tests and ODIs. Not only that the Indian team hasn’t lost a single Test or ODI series under Kohli since he became the captain of the Indian cricket team after Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Virat has all the capabilities to become one of India’s greatest captains and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly thinks the same too.
Ganguly, who played 113 Tests and 311 ODIs in his international career, told India Today, “Kohli has got qualities of being one of India’s great captains, there’s no doubt about it. I think next 15 months will be important for him when India go to South Africa, England, Australia and the World Cup. I think he is in the right direction. He is preparing his team, he’s picking players and giving opportunities. They will beat New Zealand and Sri Lanka, there’s no doubt about it. India will be challenged when they go to South Africa but I feel this side has got the ability to do well there as well.”
Sourav heaped praise for the star young all-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose all round performance helped the hosts to win the series 4-1 against the Aussies.
“He (Hardik) has the qualities to help this Indian team but don’t compare him with Kapil Dev at the moment. Kapil Dev was an absolute champion. We will talk about it 10-15 years down the line once Pandya keeps playing that long. Let’s enjoy his cricket, he is a good cricketer, he is a positive cricketer. He’s a fighter and he has got heart when he plays cricket. That’s what you look in a young cricketer. I wish him all the best, hopefully, he continues to do good work for Kohli.”
Ganguly also lauded the selectors’ decision of giving a chance to veteran left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra for the three T20Is. “It’s a good news for Indian cricket that they have picked the ability and not age. He is an exceptional T20 bowler. We saw him in last T20I World Cup. He is a left-armer and he creates a different angle. I think he will come out with flying colours in this series as well”, concluded Ganguly.