New Zealand vs India 2020: Virat Kohli reflects on captaincy and his thoughts on Kane Williamson
Ahead of their full tour of New Zealand, Indian captain Virat Kohli has spoken about the influence of losses on a captain's mindset and the kind of pressure he has to go through while bringing back the team on track.
Captain Kohli stressed the importance of the process that is put in place by the captain and shouldn't just be judged based on the results. He highlighted the bigger picture that he and Ravi Shastri have in mind for Indian cricket, both domestic and international.
“These kinds of things do come up every now and then, whenever you have a setback. I think its a part of having that responsibility of captaining in all three formats. One thing that I have done is I just focus on what I can do for the team and the vision that needs to be there to take the team forward.”
Also see – PSL points table
Kohli praised opposition captain Kane Williamson for his exceptional leadership qualities and how he has been able to glue the team together despite heartbreaking losses in the past. He said he believes that creating a healthy team environment, where the teammates can function at their best, is the definition of a successful captain.
“I don’t think leadership can always be determined by the results. It’s also about how you can get the team together and get the guys functioning under you as well, which I think Kane has done wonderfully well."
"People get onto that side of things too early and sometimes I think it is better to let the individual decide himself. If you have given him the responsibility, I am sure he will decide whether he is good enough for the job any more or not as well.”
Kohli continued his praise of Williamson, stating him as a smart cricketer who puts the team's needs before any personal milestones. Despite India's heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2019 CWC, he doesn't have any revenge on his mind.
“He has the respect of his team-mates and he has the trust of his team-mates, is what I can see, and he’s also a very, very smart cricketer. If a team outplays you, you have to accept it as a collective failure, and not a lack of leadership or captaincy is what I think."
India are scheduled to play five T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests against New Zealand beginning tomorrow.