Kumble exit no surprise, only skipper can run a national side
ONE LEADER Puting a strong individual in a position to advice the captain is inviting confrontation
The last thing a captain needs is to come off the field and have someone second guess his decisions. He also doesn’t need a strong-minded individual (outside his advisory group) getting too involved in the pre-match tactical planning. Too often I see captaincy that appears to be the result of the previous evening’s planning, and despite ample evidence it’s hindering the team’s chances of victory, it remains the plan throughout the next day.
This is generally a sure sign that the captain is following someone else’s plan and that he is the wrong man for the job.
India is fortunate to have two capable leaders in Kohli and the man who stood in for him during the Test series with Australia, Ajinkya Rahane.
It’s Kohli’s job as captain to concentrate on things that help win cricket matches and his offfield assistants’ task is to ensure he’s not distracted in trying to achieve victory. India’s opponents in the final, Pakistan, were unusually free of any controversies during the tournament. They were capably led by Sarfraz Ahmed who appeared to become more and more his own man as the tournament progressed.
Watching Pakistan’s success unfold from Islamabad, it was obvious how much the team’s success meant to the fans. While the ICC deliberated on increasing the number of Test playing nations, it’s good to see some consideration was given to Pakistan’s plight; not playing matches at home.
It was the right time for the ICC to implement a plan to resume matches in Pakistan and to commence with small steps. In light of the recent instability around the world, it was reasonable to ask: “Is Pakistan the only region that is unsafe for hosting cricket matches?” On the evidence I saw, and from what I was told by people in a position to know the situation, Pakistan’s security is much improved from the recent past.
Adding Afghanistan (a more dangerous country than Pakistan) and Ireland to the roster does seem a little premature. The last thing Test cricket needs is more uncompetitive matches. Surely, the priority is to ensure Pakistan and West Indies, two great contributors to the rich history of the game, are both playing Test cricket to their full potential before expanding the number of teams.
The captain is the only person who can run a cricket team properly because so much of the job involves onfield decision making. The captain’s best advisors are his vicecaptain, a clear thinking wicketkeeper and one or two senior players on the field.