India ended up losing another ICC tournament with Virat Kohli at the helm. They were second best to New Zealand in the historic World Test Championship Final and Kohli’s captaincy has come under the scanner once again.
The Men in Blue have failed to win a single ICC tournament ever since Kohli took over as the captain of the side, replacing MS Dhoni. They lost the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy against Pakistan, were defeated by New Zealand in the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup and have now suffered another heartbreak against the same opposition in the inaugural WTC Final.
What makes matters worse is the fact that India have had a stellar record in international fixtures and bilateral series. With several players shining on the big stages, the lack of an ICC trophy has been hard to digest.
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has weighed in on the issue and suggested that even if the captain leads the team to several victories, the lack of a title might make them unpopular among the masses. Butt said that ‘people only remember those who win tournaments’ but also mentioned that luck plays a factor.
“You can be a very good captain but if you don’t win any title, masses won’t remember you. Maybe you are a good captain and have good plans but your bowler may not be able to execute it. So, luck has to be on your side as well.
“Sometimes you may not be a great captain but your team may be very good and you may end up winning a major title. So that does not define a captain but for the world, of course, a good captain is one who has won big events,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.
Virat Kohli’s lack of success with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL has also been a constant argument which critics of his captaincy have resorted to. Despite being the skipper of the side for over eight years, Kohli is yet to taste success in the Indian Premier League.
“Virat Kohli has not won any ICC title neither has he won the IPL. He is a top-class cricketer, has excellent body language and is aggressive. His energy level is at a different level, and it is evident that he wants to give his best every time he steps out in the middle. But captains should be subtle and not fiery,” Butt further explained.
