How Will Virat Kohli Stepping Down As Captain Affect Indian Cricket?

A natural born leader, a ferocious competitor, and mercurially talented – Virat Kohli is arguably the biggest figure in Indian cricket since Sachin Tendaulkur.

He is divisive, too. Some don’t like his abrasive leadership style, which includes the admonishment of those that don’t live up to his high standards and forcibly celebrating any of his side’s achievements in the field with such a veracity it could be construed as unsportsmanlike.

That’s why his relinquishing of the captain’s armband in India is causing so many waves. Will the Indian approach change? What impact will it have on selection policies? Is Rohit Sharma the right man to replace him?

There are hundreds of questions ringing around the minds of many an Indian cricket fan – l have taken a shot at compartmentalising the main ones.

What Will India Miss From Kohli’s Captaincy?

Not a lot, history suggests. Virat Kohli himself, in a recent podcast with Digit, pointed to the handing over of the armband between MS Dhoni and himself as a concrete example of how a changeover can have a positive effect on team chemistry,

“Everything has a tenure and time period,” he said, responding to a question on the podcast. “When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like that he was not a leader. He was still the guy we were going to constantly to get inputs. Taking the decision to move on is also part of leadership to understand the right time to do it. To understand that, maybe the environment needs a different direction.

Reports suggest Kohli and Rohit continue to get along, despite the upheaval surrounding the armband, but is there a risk of disrupting team harmony?

Not according to Kohli, who believes him stepping down is crucial to the overall culture of the team. He said: “Moving on is also a part of leadership, to understand the right time to do that. I think one has to embrace all kinds of roles and opportunities.”

How Will Kohli’s Removal As Captain Affect India’s International Performance?

Not a great deal!  Despite the seismic nature of the news, they will continue to enter most games as favourites with all the top betting sites in India.

He will still provide leadership from within, and if the removal of captaincy means an increase in his batting output, the move will be deemed a masterstroke.

What about a punter’s approach to betting on India?

One area where betting patterns may vary is the number of bets taken on the top Indian run scorer in matches. The captain of India comes under much more scrutiny than other players need to deal with, and as such may naturally attract more interest in the betting markets too. The odds could come in on Rohit Sharma with the additional expectation on his shoulders.

Can Kohli’s Form Improve?

There are hopes that by removing the pressures of captaincy from Kohli’s shoulders, we will see the return to form of one of the most special players in the modern era. At the time of writing it has been two years since Kohli last scored a century in Test match cricket, though it’s safe to say his shorter-format form continues to reach the high standards he has set himself.

South African pace icon Dale Steyn believes we could see a new and improved Kohli. Speaking to Star Sports, he said:

“He has got a young family right now, and with captaincy, if you’re a single man being a professional sportsman, it’s almost like a selfish thing. We all have to focus on ourselves to be able to get the best out of us and provide the best for the country.

“But the moment a young family comes in, some other things don’t matter much. Now I think, since Kohli has relinquished captaincy, he can focus on his family and then just focus on his batting. You might even see a better Virat Kohli now.”

Will India Form Improve Without Kohli As Captain?

India remains one of the best cricket teams in the world.

Their depth of talent is astonishing – as evidenced by the recent IPL Mega Auction. There are some immensely gifted cricketers in India – and the future looks bright.

Rohit Sharma enjoyed a great start to life as India’s captain! If there were fears of how he would adapt to the rigours of captaincy, he answered any doubters.