So what if Virat Kohli is a ‘budda’ compared to his Delhi Ranji Trophy teammates? ‘Budda Hoga Tera Baap’ — and ‘baap’ is actually back where it all began. We don’t know if this is the last Ranji Trophy match for Delhi or not, but with his intention to go on playing for at least a couple of years at the highest level, Kohli will have to keep coming back to Delhi for domestic games, if any.
Mind you, domestic cricket isn’t that easy as it appears. Even Kohli knows that and has done his homework well with help from former India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar, and has worked on a few basics. So, no worries there. But the fans must still be wondering about the arrangement BCCI has with the current batting coaches, wherein a legend like Kohli taking outside help means that the current Indian set-up led by head coach Gautam Gambhir hasn’t done much.
The results are showing and, fortunately, Gambhir isn’t coaching Delhi. As a matter of fact when Gambhir was Delhi’s captain, thanks to Viender Sehwag with whom he isn’t in talking terms, he was the top boss and could rule the similar way he is trying to capture the Indian dressing room. Doesn’t that mean that Gambhir is a control-freak?
Who isn’t? Wasn’t Kohli controlling things when he was the captain? Isn’t Rohit Sharma trying controlling things? They all have one thing in common — that is good public relations. They all have PR managers. Well, Gambhir doesn’t admit that he has one. So do Kohli and Rohit. But the PR mechanics are always working. How on earth otherwise – group of supporters are chanting Rohit’s name in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, where his contribution is negligible.
Isn’t Rohit trying his level best to cling on to the hot seat? That is because the moment Rohit loses captaincy in ODIs, his position as a batter in the team is gone forever. At least, Kohli doesn’t need to worry about that because he is still fit enough to make amends and continue playing. Even Kohli doesn’t like Sunil Gavaskar’s style of commentary but he doesn’t complain like Rohit.
That is because these cricketers are always going to be judged on the basis of what they do on that strip of 22 yards. Rest are all rubbish and Kohli knows that. He knows how to survive and this Ranji Trophy game is just another game to survive the current pressure and scoring runs on top of that would be a perfect icing on the cake!