• “Is Virat Kohli a good captain?”

• “Why is the BCCI not appointing a new captain for the limited-overs format?”

• “We need split captaincy in India, why don’t we go for Rohit Sharma?”

These questions have been circulating on social media for the last few days. In fact, “split captaincy” along with “Virat Kohli” trended on social media for two consecutive days. But wait—when and how did this start, and why now, just before the T20 World Cup?

Calling it an “agenda” might make some of you laugh, while others might nod in agreement. “Agenda” is a big word, mostly reserved for politics. It becomes messy as soon as it infiltrates other fields, especially sports. We have some prime examples of this. But that’s not our focus here.

So, how did this begin? It all started with a report from the Times of India claiming that Rohit Sharma will take over the T20 International captaincy from Virat Kohli after the T20 World Cup.

Here are the exact words from the reports: 

“Virat himself will make the announcement. He is of the view that he needs to concentrate on his batting and go back to becoming what he’s always been — the best batsman in the world,” The Times of India quoted sources as saying.

“It will wrap up a historic Test cycle from an India perspective. Virat is also the first to realise that his overall responsibilities as captain across formats are taking a toll on his batting. He needs that space and freshness because he has a lot more to offer. If Rohit takes over as whiteball captain, Virat can continue leading India’s red-ball aspirations and work on his T20 and One-day batting. He’s just 32 and given his fitness, he will easily play top cricket for another five to six years at least,” the report further quoted sources as saying.

As expected, this sparked controversy on social media among fans and followers. Most of the Twitter population opposed the decision, as one might expect. Naturally, some agenda-peddlers did their utmost to argue that split captaincy is necessary. Funny, isn’t it?

Do We Really Need Split Captaincy? 

“I don’t believe in split captaincy. For the team there has to be only one leader…Split captaincy doesn’t work in India.”

These were the words of MS Dhoni after he decided to step down from limited-overs captaincy. 

So when a highly successful captain of team India says that, you gotta agree that split captaincy is really not a great deal for this nation. 

And this isn’t the first time that Virat Kohli’s leadership skills have been questioned. He is under the microscope at all times. It was his batting skills that made him what he is today but his captaincy skills have been judged from time to time.

Is Virat Kohli the best Indian Test captain?

Arguably “The best.”

His stats speak volumes, as his bat does. He has been India’s most successful captain in Tests, overtaking Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and MS Dhoni. 

And as per reports of Wisden, only Ricky Ponting, Kane Williamson and Steve Waugh have a better win percentage than Kohli in the longest format of the game. This chart may give you a clear idea.

His recent success in England at Lord’s and The Oval should not be ignored as well. The fierce call of going with 4 seamers and 1 spinner is not a gamble many would have taken. 

He showed complete faith in the fact that his team, even with one spinner, is good enough to challenge the hosts in their den. Kohli has always believed in doing something out of the box, be it his ‘backing fast bowlers’ or ‘playing one batsman less.’ After all, that’s what makes him ‘Virat Kohli.’

Virat Kohli thrives on challenges and enjoys experimenting within the team. His voracious appetite for success sets him apart. It’s only a matter of time before Kohli’s captaincy is judged again. The outcome of the T20 World Cup will place him back in the spotlight.

BUT! What do we need to do? We need to show faith in him and recite these words again and again, at least till we win the T20 World. 

Keep Calm and Believe In Virat Kohli!