Ravi Shastri capable of handling Virat Kohli better than Anil Kumble, hints team insider

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New Delhi, June 29: Amid reports of rift between former India coach Anil Kumble and skipper Virat Kohli, team's fielding coach R Sridhar feels former team director Ravi Shastri is more equipped at handling the skipper than Kumble.

Shastri has applied for India's head coach as the position fell vacant after Kumble resigned recently.

BCCI extended the timeline for applicants following which Shastri and several others applied for the coveted post. Considering Kohli's good rapport with Shastri many feel he will easily seal the deal and become the new coach.

At a time when fans are calling Shastri as the 'Manmohan Singh' of Indian Cricket and criticising Kohli for creating conditions for Kumble to quit, team's fielding coach R Sridhar has come up with an interesting view.

According to Sridhar Shastri will be capable of handling Kohli better than his predecessor.

"Shastri was somebody who was character-based. He wanted characters in the team, so he worked on that kind of approach. He wanted to take that approach to the field. Kumble was someone who wanted to achieve excellence in his own way," he was quoted by a Hindustan Times report as saying.

"They were two different people, they cannot be the same," Sridhar added.

Sridhar opined that a captain should have the freedom to follow his instincts in order to lead the team successfully.

"What is important in today's cricket as a leader is to follow the energies within the group. It is important to be receptive. You have to yield to the demands of the group and you have to make sure that each guy is in the best possible space," said Sridhar.

He also went on to spell out what it would take for Kohli to be a good leader.

"The current Indian team has some great experience. So we should allow that experience to take over and be inclusive and take the best possible decisions for the team. What is important to be a good leader is to be a good follower," added Sridhar.

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