You don’t need to be a captain to be a leader – Virat Kohli

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli believes one doesn’t need to be a captain to be a leader. Kohli recently decided to quit Test captaincy after India lost the series against South Africa by 2-1. The talisman will now play purely as a batter in all three forms of the game however he will still look to contribute as a leader in the team as he has all the experience.

Kohli led India’s Test team for seven years and took Indian cricket to new heights under his tenure. The linchpin added that he will contribute to the team’s success as a batter and feels he did a good job as a captain of the team.

“Everything has a tenure and time period. You obviously have to be aware of that,” Kohli told Digit’s ‘Fireside chat with VK’. “People might say ‘what this guy has done’ but you know when you think of moving forward and achieving more, you feel like you have done your job.

“Now as a batsman maybe you have more things to contribute to the team. You can make the team win more. So take pride in that. You don’t need to be a captain to be a leader. As simple as that.”

On the other hand, Kohli had taken over the Test captaincy baton from MS Dhoni in late 2014 and then took over as a limited-overs skipper in 2017. Kohli added that Dhoni contributed as a leader within the group despite giving up captaincy duties and they sought his inputs.

“When MS Dhoni was in the team it was not like that he was not a leader. He was still the guy we were going to constantly to get inputs from. “But for him to understand that, yes it is natural progression and a natural time for me to take over and take Indian cricket forward to a level that I wanted to and as long as I feel that I have done that job without having materialistic goals, that has a longer-lasting effect.”

Kohli added that knowing when to move on is also part of leadership. The 33-year old revealed that he thought like a leader for his team before he was given captaincy duties by the Indian board.

“Taking the decision to move on is also part of leadership, to understand the right time to do it. To understand that, maybe the environment needs a different direction. Obviously same culture, but a different set of ideas to boost people in a different way and contribute in a different manner.

“One has to embrace all kinds of roles and responsibilities. I have played under MS as a player and I have been the captain of the team for a long time, my mindset has been same. “I always thought like a captain even when I was a player. I want to make the team win. I have to be my own leader.”

There is no doubt that Kohli is still a vital cog in India’s leadership wheel and he will look to make his contribution to the team as an experienced player. India will take on West Indies in three-match ODI series in Ahmedabad.