Virat Kohli as captain: Role model or not?

Kohli’s action prompted former opener Gautam Gambhir, not really an epitome of refined manners, to call him immature. “It’s worst for an Indian captain to say like this in stumps. By doing this you will never be an idol to youngsters,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.

From the time Kohli took over as Test captain in 2014, when MS Dhoni quit in the middle of a series in Australia, India reached the top of the ICC (International Cricket Council) rankings, scored two series victories in Australia and lost only five of 24 Test series, including this month in South Africa. The wins and the ranking contributed in some ways to the revival of Test viewership in India, owed in part to the energy and passion Kohli brought on the field.

But his hunger for success sometimes switched to anger, emotions overwhelming reason and responsibility. He showed his middle finger to the crowd during the Sydney Test in 2012, for example, was charged under ICC’s Code of Conduct for using an obscene gesture and was later fined half of his match fee.

As captain, Kohli’s strategy for the Indian team revolved around a reliance on pace bowling, nurturing players like Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav, among others. He inculcated in the team fearlessness, of not getting intimidated by powerful teams and individuals, of single-mindedly chasing victories.

But his in-the-face aggression had other consequences. Kohli could not get along with coach Anil Kumble, leading to the latter’s exit from the post in 2017. He took on Australia’s Steve Smith, Tim Paine, England’s James Anderson, among others, in multiple confrontations. “You swearing at me again, are you? This isn’t your fu**ing backyard,” was one of his taunts aimed at Anderson.

Fairly early in his career, Kohli changed his focus on fitness, a significant contributor to his success as a batsman. He experimented with diets, with sushi, with veganism, to get leaner and stronger. It rubbed off on the other players, with several teammates including Rishabh Pant crediting him for their interest in fitness, besides influencing his followers on social media.

Kohli’s over 46 million followers on Twitter see his profile as a “proud husband and father”. His 180 million followers on Instagram see him as a family man, fitness enthusiast, and businessman. When a few years ago a cricket follower called Kohli overrated and that he preferred watching English and Australian batsmen, the 34-year-old responded by asking him to live somewhere else but not in India. Kohli later apologised for the remark.

One of the reasons for Kohli’s resignation as Test captain may have been his lack of centuries—none in 15 matches over two years—which is seen as a batting failure. But his last 10 innings have scores of 7, 55, 50, 44, 0, 36, 35, 18, 79, 29—not really the symbols of struggles but perhaps of durability. During this time of batting woes, he has not let up on his aggression or his intent to win, as evident from the Dean Elgar episode in South Africa.

Many, including VVS Laxman, believe Kohli led by example, with his work ethic and intensity. He was seen as a leader who stood by his players, like slamming down communal social media comments against Mohammed Shami last year. In a strong statement, he said “All those who have attacked him can come with more force if they want to: our brotherhood, our friendship within the team, nothing can be shaken.”

A number of brands that Kohli endorses came out in support after his announcement to relinquish captaincy. “He has inspired and will continue to inspire everyone who keenly follows cricket and even those who don’t,” Abhishek Ganguly, managing director of PUMA India and southeast Asia, said in a statement. “His prolific work ethic and leadership qualities has been an inspiration to so many,” said Abhishek Madhavan, SVP - Brand Marketing, Mobile Premier League (MPL). His brand value, as just another player in the team, is unlikely to change in the near future.

That may be because take away the anger, the outbursts, the petulance, and Kohli has qualities that have catalysed Indian cricket, adding many new dimensions to it. He said once, “You need to have vision, stay true to it. When people don’t believe in you, you have to believe in that vision, that you have been trusted with a responsibility and things will come good. It’s not always about the results, but have you made the place you came in a better place when you left.”

He has left Indian cricket—as captain—in a better space. Just that when you show Kohli’s videos to aspiring young cricketers, make sure it’s well edited and preferably on mute.