Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was quite impressed with Indian Test captain Virat Kohli after he backed the out-of-form Ajinkya Rahane following the team’s massive win against New Zealand in the second Test in Mumbai on Monday.
However, Rahane’s recent form has come under the scanner and his place in the India Test squad has become uncertain too. In the last 16 Tests, Rahane averages only 24.39. Despite all these, captain Kohli stated that it will not impact the decision while choosing the team and backed him as well.
“I can’t judge Ajinkya’s form,” Kohli said. “Nobody can judge anybody’s form, for that matter. Because only an individual knows what part of his game he has to work on. But, as I have said in the past, it is important to back those players who have made impact performances in difficult situations and important Test matches in the past. We don’t entertain this kind of atmosphere in the team that a player starts worrying about ‘what next’ the moment he is under a little bit of pressure.”
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He continued:
“Yes, we can’t expect this kind of balance from those on the outside where those who are singing praises will be asking for a player’s head in two months. We don’t react that way ever nor will we do it in the future because we know how much effort and hard work goes in for any person to get into a positive mental space, and we will support it. Be it Ajinkya or whoever. We will never take decisions based on the outside atmosphere.”
Applauding Kohli’s words, Salman Butt, while speaking on his YouTube channel, revealed the reason behind his successful stint as the captain of the Indian Test team.
“One of the most valuable reason behind Team India’s success under the captaincy of Virat Kohli is backing his players, especially when they most need them. Not just Kohli, pick any good captain in world cricket, they will always back their proven player, who is now going through a lean phase. And when such players are backed during their time of struggle, with the amount of confidence the player gains they come out stronger and produce unthinkable results,” Salman Butt said.
“He trusts his players” – Salman Butt on Virat Kohli
Salman Butt also highlighted that a successful captain always shields and Virat Kohli has been absolutely top-notch when it came to backing his teammates.
“In cases when the player has top-class credentials, has helped script unbelievable victories, or has performed well under pressure, you have to back them. And this is the reason why he is such a successful captain. He trusts his players, backs him through thick and thin. And that is why players respond. And he is the vice-captain of the Indian team, who led the Indian side to victory in Australia in the absence of Kohli and has performed as batsman as well,” Salman Butt concluded.
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