Virat Kohli has been standing in as Royal Challenges Bangalore’s captain in this IPL season whenever the team’s regular skipper Faf du Plessis is unavailable or is used as an impact player. Should that have happened for the fifth Test of India’s tour of England, when Jasprit Bumrah replaced the injured Rohit Sharma as captain? Former India coach Ravi Shastri says he would have recommended that.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Shastri spoke at length about Kohli, talking about his state when he was not getting the big scores and now.
“As opposed to last year, when we were sitting in discussing does he need a break, does he not need a break, you know he seemed to have the burden of the whole world on his shoulders. Now, refreshing. You feel that enthusiasm, that passion for the game, that energy and enjoyment has come back, which for me was the best thing to see. See, runs you might get or you might not get; but when you have that sense, when you see someone that the passion, the enjoyment and the drive is back again, (it) is good, especially (for) a player of his quality.”

Asked if he would have liked to see Kohli captain the squad during the fifth Test India’s tour of England, Shastri said, “I thought he would. Once Rohit was injured, I thought he would be asked, if I was still there. I’m sure Rahul (Dravid) might have done the same thing. I don’t know. I’ve not spoken to him. I would have recommended to the board that it’s only fair that he leads because he’s part of the team that’s leading 2-1 in the series and could have got the best out of the players.”
Further asked if Kohli would have had his objections to leading the squad, Shastri said, “Not at all. It’s about leading your country and these are circumstances where you got to put your best foot forward. Your regular captain is injured, he’s not part of the team. So seeing what’s at stake, you know beating England in England, 2-1 up. I mean how many teams can (a team) beat England and Australia in the same year.”

He also spoke on how impressed he is with Arshdeep.
“To be honest, the more I see him, I feel that he can play all formats for India. Though I have not seen much of him in red-ball format, but the way Arshdeep is improving and running in, he is gaining confidence. I think he will become a little stronger than I saw him last year, resulting in very good performance.
“Yes, there is room for improvement and I think when you see injuries are taking place to some of the other players, Arshdeep is someone who should be kept in the mix and should be given that opportunity and given that encouragement to play. I am sure he can bowl 10 overs, he is still young and I am talking about the red-ball format as well.”

(With agency inputs)