Virat Kohli will lead India in his first-ever World Cup as the captain of the side this year. Comparisons have been drawn between Virat and his predecessor MS Dhoni over the differences in captaincy.
While the Indian skipper has stated on various occasions that he seeks Dhoni’s assistance on-and-off the field, Jonty Rhodes has now opined on the differences between the two captains.
The South African great stated that while Dhoni puts more value on the mental aspect of the game, Virat Kohli prefers to be the brute force.
“Dhoni’s example was of setting incredible standards on fitness and control mindset point of view. So there are different styles of leadership. Kohli’s style is to take things by the scruff of the neck and he likes to impose his stamp on the game,” Rhodes was quoted as saying on India Today.
In a recent interview with cricbuzz.com, Virat Kohli insisted that MS Dhoni’s contribution goes beyond his runs and cleverness behind the wickets.
What can I say about him. My career started under him and few have seen him from so close over the last few years as I have,” Virat said.
“There's one thing about MS that's far more important than anything else - and there's a lot to him - for him, the team is always above everything else. It's always about the team, no matter what. To top it, look at the experience he brings to the squad and we're richer with it. Some of his dismissals behind the stumps, just recently too (in IPL), were match-changing.”
Both the players will be key to the side as India kick-starts its campaign in the World Cup on June 5 against South Africa.
Faf du Plessis’ men will meet the host nation England in the tournament opener on May 30.
