Virat Kohli has won nothing as a leader: Gautam Gambhir

Bengaluru, June 15: With a plethora of records to his name, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been one of the most prolific run getters for the Indian side.

Kohli as a player has many records to his name and has always been the one to look out for. Kohli has already amassed 11,867 runs in ODIs. The swashbuckling batsman had become the fastest batsman to score 10,000 runs in 2018, achieving the feat in just 205 innings. But Kohli the skipper is yet to lay his hands on a major trophy. The flamboyant batsman has not picked up a major trophy as a skipper so far.

Recently, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir gave his take on Kohli the leader. Gambhir stressed on the fact that despite being one of the most consistent batsmen, the Indian slipper is yet to achieve that big trophy. Though Kohli is currently at the second spot in ICC rankings in Tests, his individual brilliance has yet to help the Indian Team reach great heights.

Kohli took over from one of India’s most successful captains, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. But despite guiding the side to the knockout stages, the Indian side failed to overcome the final hurdle and always remained within touching distance of the trophy.

Former Indian opener Gambhir believed that Kohli the captain is nowhere close to Kohli the player and that the Indian skipper still has a long way to go.

Speaking on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, Gambhir said Kohli has a lot more to achieve as a captain. “Lots. It’s a team sport. You can keep scoring your own runs. There are people like Brian Lara who have scored so many runs. There are people like Jacques Kallis who have won nothing.

“Virat Kohli at the moment has won nothing to be honest as a leader. He has a lot to achieve. You can keep scoring those big runs but according to me, till you win those big trophies you will never be able to fulfil your entire career,” said Gambhir on Star Sports’ Cricket Connected.

Gambhir, who had questioned Kohli’s capabilities as IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore’s captain where he is yet to win a trophy, said that Kohli has to stop comparing the players strengths and weaknesses to his own strengths.

The former Indian opener stated, “He is different from the rest, probably a lot of other people might not have the same ability that Virat Kohli has. So the most important quality he needs to have is to start taking players as they are.

“Don’t compare them or don’t compare their intensity to his intensity. Because every individual is different, he has his own pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses.”

Not only Gambhir, but prior to him, several greats have questioned the Indian skippers tactics. Furthermore he has also been criticised for not backing young players enough and giving them enough time to prove their mettle. Kohli the skipper has always lagged behind Kohli the player and as former cricketers have pointed out over time, the record-breaking batsman still has a long way to go as the captain of the Indian side.