Internet Desk: Sourav Ganguly, in an exclusive column for the ICC website, has analysed India’s performance in the past 10 months and has assessed the influence of Virat Kohli as captain, which helped India to finish as the number-one ranked Test side on the MRF Tyres ICC Test Team Rankings at the 1 April cut-off.
Writing for www.icc-cricket.com, the former India captain also shared his delight at watching KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav gain in confidence and match Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, but tipped Cheteshwar Pujara as the batsman who will be most critical to India’s successes abroad.
Ganguly opined that Steve Smith’s century in the Pune Test was one of the best he has seen from a visiting batsman in India, but reserved his special praise for Kohli, when he wrote: “There are two Virats for me. The batsman and the captain.
“The batsman surely is one of the best in the world because he has set high standards for himself, both in terms of fitness and the hunger to score big. The captain is more passionate and more of a leader than anything else. He wants to win and win every day and while it may not be possible always, I see Virat not settling for anything that isn’t No.1.
“Against Australia, probably he was so consumed by wanting to win as captain that he let his emotions affect his batting. This will also serve as a lesson for Virat. He’s such a precocious talent, I hope he cools down and gets back to scoring big again.”
Talking about the Dharamsala Test, which according to him was the highlight of the season, Ganguly wrote: “I was sitting at home around lunchtime on Day Three when Australia began its second innings.
“Over the next hour or so, I watched such a great piece of fast and hostile bowling by the two Indians, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The way they got the Australians hopping and succumbing to the pace, I am so pleased for Virat.
“The most memorable win came in conditions actually tailor-made for the Australians more than the Indians. The fact that India beat the Aussies at their own game will surely give another twist to Virat’s captaincy.”
On Anil Kumble’s coaching, Ganguly wrote: “When the BCCI appointed a three-member panel that had Tendulkar, Laxman and me to help in the process of selecting a coach, Anil’s vision was as decisive as his bowling used to be. He wanted India to win in India obviously, but outside of India too and while he knew it was easier said than done, his assessment of the situation was superb.
“With him, I hope the spinners, who generally always do pick wickets by the bucket loads in India, contribute to the team’s success when they travel abroad, just like Anil and Bhajji did. That would fit the last riddle in the jigsaw puzzle Virat and his team will hope to solve.”
From ICC.