CHENNAI: Virat Kohli has often said that he shares a special bond with MS Dhoni, his first captain. With the IPL 2019 opener between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore gaining the hype that is usually reserved for India-Pakistan encounters, fans are eager to see a battle between the ‘Guru’ and his ‘Shishya’.
Dhoni, a multiple World Cup-winning captain who also has three IPL titles in his kitty, holds a big edge over his pupil Kohli. With his calm approach, the CSK skipper specialises in getting the best out of his players. Kohli, on the other hand, despite having several high-calibre players in his ranks, has not been able to get the desired results in the IPL.
“Dhoni has good understanding of his players. He shares a good bond with them. He has clearly defined roles and thus he is able to bring out the best from them,’’ said Lakshmipathy Balaji, CSK bowling coach.
“Kohli has not been able to get the best out of his players in IPL. He has not been able to seize the big moments. His style of leadership where he expects everyone to perform to his tall standards has been detrimental,’’ felt Venkatapathy Raju, former India spinner and national selector.
“Kohli has not been able to get the best out of his players in IPL. He has not been able to seize the big moments. His style of leadership where he expects everyone to perform to his tall standards has been detrimental,’’ felt Venkatapathy Raju, former India spinner and national selector.
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Kohli differs. To start with, he believes RCB have the resources this time to tame the strong CSK batting line-up. “We got similar balance in our team. Not many are aware that our strength is some of the Indian players that we possess. That’s an area we want to focus. In the past the focus was on strong overseas players. This time, players from the domestic circuit look confident. On Saturday you will see our bowling options and also the depth in our batting which we need to carry forward in the whole season,” he said.
Most former cricketers believe RCB are too dependent on Kohli unlike CSK, who have a lot of reliable performers in their ranks. “It’s a view from the outside. We give responsibility and honours to all the players. Obviously I am batting well and as a captain I expect myself to perform. Everybody is thinking that Virat and ABD are going to score the runs, but the other guys are hungry and waiting for an opportunity,” said Kohli.
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Tactics wise, Dhoni and Kohli are far apart. Dhoni likes to make things happen, while at times Kohli waits for things to happen. “From a being called a gambler, Dhoni has evolved into a shrewd captain. Who else will give Joginder Sharma the last over in a World Cup final, His calculated risks pay off. In the IPL too he is shrewd, calm and his bowling changes have fetched results. On the other hand, Kohli’s moves are predictable. He lacks the surprise element to deceive the batsman. That’s why when both are playing for India, Kohli constantly looks towards Dhoni for suggestions,’’ pointed out Raju.
All said and done, fans here can expect a clash of personalities in this battle featuring some of the top names in international cricket.