The current Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli is being hailed as one of the best teams to have played in the history of this game. Time and again, this team has achieved many difficult feats as a unit, excluding the major loss of the World Test Championship Final.
In the just-concluded second Test match as well, the team displayed a team performance and made a stunning comeback on the final day of the second Test match against England, to take a lead of 1-0 in the ongoing 5-match Test series. Their recent win at the iconic Lord’s Stadium has become the latest addition to India’s biggest achievements.
After the incredible win, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli became the fourth most successful captain in the history of Test cricket. The skipper has been receiving praises from all corners for the way he captained and how his team performed. Virat Kohli, who was seen in a red-hot form on day 5, kept on motivating his teammates regularly. Before England’s 2nd innings, Virat urged his players to focus fully on the task at hand.
Virat gathered his troops for a small pep-talk. As the Indian side formed into a team huddle before the start of innings, Virat Kohli was apparently seen saying:
“If I see anyone laughing in front of their players, see what happens. Got it? For Sixty overs they should feel like hell out there,”.
https://twitter.com/KartikS25864857/status/1427308948974030850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1427308948974030850%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fthecricketlounge.pqjbqm1zes-xlm41jgj54dy.p.temp-site.link%2F2021%2F08%2Fheres-what-virat-kohli-said-to-his-teammates-in-the-huddle%2F
And to his credit, the team gave an incredible performance, especially Mohammed Siraj, who turned out to be the hero with the ball for India. The Indian bowlers made the entire English batting order collapsed for just 120 runs, giving a terrific 151-run victory.
While the Indian skipper is getting praised from all corners, on the other hand, those who love to criticize Virat are not ready to see the ways Kohli contributed towards India’s winning cause. Instead there are many who only pointed towards the fact that how the Indian skipper has been struggling to put up numbers on the scoreboard.
Here, check out how fans are slamming the Indian skipper:
No test performances in the last 670 days. Dropped Butler’s catch at a crucial stage yesterday but yet take all the credit. He is lucky the English have a shitty batting line ATM.
— Zee khan (@Zeekhan14909841) August 17, 2021
No test performances in the last 670 days. Dropped Butler’s catch at a crucial stage yesterday but yet take all the credit. He is lucky the English have a shitty batting line ATM.
— Zee khan (@Zeekhan14909841) August 17, 2021
When VK got out early, some fans came up with the idea of removing him as a test captain. Few days later his captaincy earned India a famous win.
— Farrukh Rz (@FarrukhRz) August 17, 2021
I’d rather a Kane Williamson who encourages his team to express themselves than curb their instincts and dull them into being a clone of yourself https://t.co/lw9BgEc1fZ
— बुधिया (@krishnavallabh) August 18, 2021
An unlikeable and totally self-obsessed man. I’d much rather have Root as my captain personally https://t.co/wvBx3vjm2Q
— Nicholas (@ncarowland) August 17, 2021
What happened to this intensity when they faced a good batting line-up of NZ in the WTC Final? Why didn’t it work? https://t.co/qwRB5hCCp6
— Aman (@_amantweets) August 18, 2021
Nevertheless, Virat Kohli became only the third Indian skipper – after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni- to taste victory at the iconic Lord’s Stadium. And the way Virat led his team during the match deserves all the appreciation. Virat’s impact in the game as a skipper is so much that recently, Ian Chappell stated that the 32-year-old could be an ideal player’s representative for the Test format’s revival.