VIRAT KOHLI’S CAPTAINCY MARKS DAWN OF NEW ERA IN INDIAN CRICKET

A middle-old batsman, who can also ball right arm medium pace-is the new test captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli. Over a period of time, he has done a lot for the Indian cricket team and taken India to greater heights, though not noticed much but still.

After the sudden retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from test cricket matches, Virat Kohli took the lead and became the new captain of Indian cricket team. But there were many who compared Dhoni and Virat Kohli on many different bases. 

Some said that Dhoni always used the word ‘we’ for his team often. Dhoni made personal decisions only on the field. Off the field, it was always "we". Kohli was being more assertive off the field, even in defeat. Virat Kohli had been a prominent batsman for Team India for long. He slammed a record 140 on the third day of the Sydney Test but his tactics as captain a day earlier, left many confused.

Virat Kohli batted his way into record books yet again with an unbeaten 140 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. With the ton, he became the first cricketer to make three Test centuries in his first three innings as captain. While the Delhi cricketer's excellent form has been a highlight of the series, his captaincy has not impressed the games legends.

Although still early days, Kohli was promoted as permanent Test skipper after MS Dhoni dramatically retired after the third Test at Melbourne, his tactics on the field on Wednesday left many confused. Among them, injured Australia captain Michael Clarke and former cricketer Ian Chappell were the most exasperated.

Virat Kohli has been walking around with a bull's eye around his head. One he has worn proudly. Everything about him has said, "Look at me." His statements, his shots, his send-offs, his fielding, his kisses blown to his Bollywood-star girlfriend and to Mitchell Johnson all state the same.

He has riled the Australians up, he has nearly got out because of that wind-up job, he has dropped a sitter at slip, he is about to become the first No. 4 in the history of the game to score 500 in a series when touring Australia, and he has generally looked and behaved like a man whose time has come. Despite of all this, he is still the most popular and most regarded cricketer among the public, especially the younger crowd.

Though this outspoken and flamboyant batsman has scored three hundreds in series so far, but still wavers a bit when it comes to handling the pressure of leading the side and salvaging some pride in the series.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI WALKS INTO TEST SUNSET

MS Dhoni has retired from Test cricket with immediate effect, following the drawn Test against Australia in Melbourne.Virat Kohli will take over as India captain for the final Test of the series, which India have already lost, in Sydney. He chose to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect in order to concentrate on ODI and T20 formats.

In recent months Dhoni suffered from fitness issues, missing five ODIs against Sri Lanka in November because of a hand injury, which also sidelined him from the first Test against Australia in Adelaide.

In addition to the pressure of leading India in all three formats, and the Chennai Super Kings franchise, for six years Dhoni has also had to play an extraordinary amount of matches. Since the start of 2008 - taking into account international matches across formats, IPL and Champions League T20 games - Dhoni has played 398 matches, the most for any cricket during this period. Suresh Raina is second with 369 games.

Dhoni did not play the first Test in the current series against Australia because of a thumb injury. In his absence, Virat Kohli led the team and won accolades for his attacking approach. Many former players declared that it was time for Kohli to take over the leadership from Dhoni given that the incumbent had been struggling to present any fresh approach.

Though Dhoni's place in India's Test side has not been under question, his batting form took a dip in 2014 and he averaged only 33 in 17 innings this year. His wicketkeeping has also deteriorated, in particular his ability to move laterally to take testing catches. India's overseas results have also suffered under Dhoni's leadership in recent years. Since 2011, they have won only two out of 22 away Tests and lost 13.

Dhoni, however, is India's most successful captain, having presided over 27 wins in his 60-Test tenure, which began in 2008. His first Test as captain was against South Africa in Kanpur in April that year, because of an injury to regular captain Anil Kumble, and he took over full time after Kumble retired following the Delhi Test against Australia in October. Dhoni led India to the No.1 Test ranking in 2009, a position they enjoyed until the tour of England in 2011.

Dhoni was one of India's greatest Test captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the test rankings, MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of cricket. BCCI, while respecting the decision of MS Dhoni to retire from Test cricket, also thanked him for his enormous contribution to Test cricket and the laurels that he brought to India.

Posted By: Shreya Saraf, Campus brand ambassador Intern at: http://pickyouropinion.com