‘Don’tcopyVirat’saggressionblindly’
Gilchristsays
NOTE OF CAUTION Australian great Adam Gilchrist says ‘false bravado’ can let the Indian team down NEWDELHI::
“That can be the difference. We saw (on Wednesday) it proved to be vital as guys (Dhawan and Rohit) went on to score big. 202 on that surface was a very big total.”
New Zealand’s most experienced bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult were quite expensive as they conceded 94 runs in their eight overs.
When asked about their poor performance, Williamson defended the pace duo and said it was just a rare off day for Virat Kohli’s consistency and aggressive style has become the highlight of Indian cricket team in the past couple of years. Their No. 1 status in Tests and winning streak in seven straight ODI series prove that the 28-year-old captain is guiding the side in the right direction.
That Kohli never fails to give it back to rivals when faced with tough words has only added to his aura. But former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist feels that the India captain’s in-your-face attitude should be followed with discretion.
“If I were in his team, I wouldn’t be identical to him on the field. You have got to do whatever comes naturally to you and what you believe in. It doesn’t mean every player who doesn’t act like Virat questions him,” Gilchrist told Hindustan Times.
“If it’s a false bravado at some stage it will let you down. You will get caught because you will be pretending so much that you’ll forget to play the game of cricket.” Even former India captain Rahul Dravid echoed them.
“That’s a sort of nature of T20 cricket. It’s such an aggressive format that no matter who you are, you can go for a few runs. It’s fickle, in terms of the result and how guys approach it. Batters need to be aggressive. If they come off, bowlers sort of lose. The same was witnessed on Wednesday.
“But both (Southee and Boult) are very good operators and will look to make amends in the next game,” Williamson the same sentiments recently when he said sometimes Kohli comes as ‘outrageous’ and that he ‘cringes on reading his statements before a series.’
“Aggression should come from within. Usually your personality says a lot about the way you play your game. Virat is a passionate, energetic and determined person. Clearly, his batting results show that. It reflects even in his in his leadership and his desire to achieve success,” added.
When asked about Ross Taylor’s absence from the playing XI, Williamson said: “Everyone comes into the frame in terms of selecting a team. In T20, you are picking players for different roles and that’s how you try and shape your side.”
On the possibility of making changes for the second T20, the Kiwi skipper expressed: “We’ll have a look at the wicket in Rajkot and then decide the combination.” Gilchrist added.
CALM DHONI
Kohli’s aggressive and young team also has a calm personality in MS Dhoni, a person whose presence is benefitting India in more ways than one feels Gilchrist.
“He (Dhoni) is so versatile that he could possibly play anywhere from No. 3 to No. 7 and have an impact. I don’t see any evidence that he is letting the team down. I think they (India) probably benefit more than they know by him just being around,” the veteran of 96 Tests and 287 ODIs said on the sidelines of ‘Royal Stag Barrel Select Perfect Strokes’.
“I love Virat and the young Indian players, all their passion. But it’s always nice to be balanced with some experience. I wonder if people are undervaluing that experience and calmness (of Dhoni).”
With Kohli going on record in saying that every ODI series from now on will be focused on 2019 World Cup, a big question is whether Dhoni, who will be 38-year-old then, should be the No. 1 choice for wicketkeeper’s slot.
“He has always carried out his duty for his country without any issue. I don’t know if there is someone in the wings who adds more value to the Indian team than MS. In the next two years anything can happen. I think MS will make the right decision when the time comes.”
The Australian great, who has played with Kohli in international cricket as well as Indian Premier League, added that the India captain is on the right patch to break every batting record.
In ODIs, Kohli’s has 32 tons, second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 centuries. In Tests, Kohli has 17 tons.
“I think every batting statistic is in danger across all formats. It’s extraordinary. He is a world-class batsman. Even if he doesn’t break all the batting records, he will certainly get close to all of them,” Gilchrist said.
I think every batting statistic is in danger across all formats. It’s extraordinary. Even if Virat doesn’t break all the batting records, he will get close to all. Virat is a passionate, energetic and determined person. Clearly, his batting results show that. It reflects even in his leadership and desire to achieve success.
I love Virat and the young Indian players, all their passion. But it’s always nice to be balanced with some experience. I wonder if people are undervaluing that experience. I don’t know if there is someone in the wings who adds more value to the Indian team than MS. In the next two years anything can happen. I think MS will make the right decision.