The Indian cricket team, in its present make-up, isn’t short on leaders on the field.
Virat Kohli is the designated captain across all formats, but it’s a responsibility that has been carried out by Rohit Sharma quite frequently whenever Kohli’s workload needs to be managed.
Then, of course, there is MS Dhoni, who gave up captaincy two years ago, but remains the brains trust of the team – and the go-to man in times of strife for both Kohli and Sharma.
Dinesh Karthik is someone who has played a sizeable amount of games under all three, having also been part of teams led by Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid earlier in his career. In an interview to Hindustan Times, the wicketkeeper-batsman highlighted the different styles of the trio.
“MS is very instinctive as a skipper. Virat, on the other hand, is very aggressive. And then there is Rohit. He always does his homework, is very strategic, very hands-on.”Dinesh Karthik to Hindustan Times
Karthik, who played 29 ODIs under Dhoni’s captaincy, and has now featured 22 times under Kohli, pointed out how the manner of leading the side has changed with the change of guard.
“He (MS) takes a lot of decisions on the field in the spur of the moment. (Virat) likes to take on the opposition. He is immensely self-confident and has consistently kept raising the bar, as a batter and a leader,” he said.
On Sharma, Karthik added: “(He) keeps going and speaking with his bowlers, has a word with the batters too. He is very thorough in his approach as a captain.”
Karthik appears to have closed in on a World Cup berth, having been tasked with the role of finishing games for India in limited overs cricket. He detailed the lessons he has learned from Dhoni, as a batsman as well as a ‘keeper.
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from MS is to identify bowlers. There will be bowlers who will be having a good day, so it is important to give them their due. At the same time, you have to put pressure on other bowlers who are not having an entirely good outing.”Dinesh Karthik to Hindustan Times
“The ability of MS to absorb pressure and then come out triumphs is amazing, a trait I’ve tried to inculcate,” he added.
“When it comes to keeping, well, isn’t he unbelievable? Some of the stumpings he pulls off are stunning, to say the least. I don’t think it is easily replicable, it is one of a kind. Look at his head position, his balance, all these technical things are so perfect, and there is so much to learn,” Karthik stated.
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