Virat Kohli A True Leader, Good Captain: Rahul Dravid

OutlookIndia

Rahul Dravid, the new head coach of the Indian cricket team, has praised the work ethics of Virat Kohli, despite so much 'noise' on Indian cricket captaincy around him. Kohli lost his ODI captaincy to Rohit Sharma just before the Indian team left to play in South Africa. Kohli said he had wanted to lead in both Tests and ODIs but the BCCI thought otherwise. Dravid said Kohli was in good space in South Africa and was perfectly playing the role of a team leader. (Video and photos: BCCI)  Follow this story and more: https://www.outlookindia.com/  #Sports #OutlookMagazine #OutlookGroup

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00:00 I know there's been a lot of noise on other issues a little bit outside of the group even

00:07 leading into this particular test match.

00:09 But honestly, in terms of keeping the morale high, it's not been very difficult because

00:13 to be honest, it's been led by the skipper himself.

00:16 I think Virat has been absolutely phenomenal over the last 20 days that we've been here.

00:22 I think the way he's trained, the way he's practiced, the way he's connected with the

00:26 group, as a coach sometimes leading into the series, you know that there's not really too

00:31 much you can do once the game starts.

00:33 So there's not too much you can control in the results.

00:36 But what you're really looking to do as coaches or as support staff, we're really looking

00:39 to prepare well and get the team into a really good space.

00:44 And Virat has been phenomenal in that in the way he's led the team.

00:47 He's been absolutely truly a leader.

00:49 And I couldn't speak more highly about him and the way he's committed to his own preparation,

00:53 his own practice, and also just the way he's connected with the group over the last two

00:57 weeks on and off the field.

00:59 I think he's truly been a fantastic leader and a really good captain.

01:03 So that's really helped in creating a really good space that I felt we were in a very good

01:08 space leading into the first test match.

01:10 And we got the team in a really good space.

01:13 And a lot of that was led by Virat and his leadership really came to the fore.

01:18 So yeah, it's not been hard.

01:20 It's been a pleasure to work with someone like Virat.

01:22 I think he's been a phenomenal leader.

01:25 And even personally, I think that he's in a really good space.

01:28 And even though he sort of batted well and couldn't convert those stats, I really feel

01:34 there's going to be a big run of really good scores coming in from someone like him.

01:38 Just observing him around the group, how relaxed he's been, how calm he's been, and how he's

01:42 preparing and how switched on he is.

01:45 I think there's a run.

01:46 It might not happen in the next game.

01:47 I would really hope it happens in the next game.

01:50 But I do feel with someone like him, we're going to see a really big run of scores once

01:55 that clicks in place.

01:57 Because yeah, he's really led the way.

01:59 I couldn't speak more highly of him.

02:01 I think he's been a real credit to himself and to Indian cricket over these last two

02:05 weeks in spite of all the noise that's been there around him.

02:07 Since Virat has reached South Africa, we've won our first test match.

02:11 Since then, we haven't had a press conference with Virat, we haven't spoken to the media.

02:17 Is there a specific reason behind this?

02:20 Why is the media distancing from Virat?

02:24 No, there's no such thing.

02:26 His 100th test match is about to open in Cape Town.

02:33 I don't decide, Anand and these people decide.

02:39 They're telling me that they're holding him back from bringing him to you before his

02:47 100th test match.

02:49 Hopefully, you'll celebrate it with a lot of hype.

02:53 It's not like that.

02:55 He talks.

02:56 Obviously, during the match, his mind gets involved in the match and it becomes difficult.

03:04 He talks to the captain and after the match, he gets interviewed and he gets tossed.

03:09 So, no, there's no such thing.

03:11 Anand and these people were telling me that they're holding him back from bringing him

03:16 to you before his 100th test match.

03:20 Hopefully, you'll celebrate it with a lot of hype.

03:23 Hopefully, you'll celebrate it with a lot of hype.

03:26 Hopefully, you'll celebrate it with a lot of hype.

03:28 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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