India vs New Zealand 2019, captains' corner: Virat Kohli vs Kane Williamson- Who’s better?

Cricket is the only team sport where the role of the Captain is elaborate and all-absorbing. The glorious game has eleven players in one team but the collective responsibility of a nation’s win or loss is ultimately placed on the head and shoulders of the leader. He not only has to answer for his own failures but is held accountable for his teammates as well.

The skipper has to be an astute observer to the proceedings and has to remain proactive. Thus, the traditional cricket captains are customarily the best batsmen of the team. Sir Don Bradman, Sir Len Hutton, Sir Gary Sobers, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, etc. all have taken the burden of being a captain. It is easier to demand the absolute best from your teammates when you yourself are setting up an example.

In the modern era, we have four batsmen who shall definitely grace the hall of fame once they finish playing. England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and India’s Virat Kohli are all batting legends in making. All four also lead their respective nations, therefore, providing us with a chance of comparing their success in the other dimension than batting.

The upcoming 2019 World Cup will be the ultimate test for the above-mentioned four captains. Before we embark on the marquee event, we have an opportunity to see India and New Zealand pitted against each other in a five-match ODI series which will be followed by a T20I series. India’s ODI record in New Zealand is dismal, to say the least. The Asian team has only one ODI series win from ten trips. The previous outing in 2014-15 was a 0-4 surrender against the Kiwis.

Virat Kohli’s second-ranked Indian ODI team will be seeking revenge versus the third-ranked Blackcaps unit lead by Kane Williamson. Let’s look at the profiles of both the captains in detail.