Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has explained the reason behind MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli’s success as Test captains for India at home.

Kaif’s assessment came after India suffered a 0-2 whitewash in the Test series against South Africa. This was the second time in a space of just 12 months that India ended up being whitewashed in the home Test series. New Zealand won three consecutive Test matches on Indian soil last year.

In a video shared on his X handle, Kaif hailed Dhoni’s leadership, highlighting that latter created an environment where players felt comfortable and supported.

“Do you know why Dhoni and Virat Kohli became such great captains? Dhoni first backed the players, created an environment where the players felt comfortable, and then backed them. He had such deep knowledge of reading the back that he built his team accordingly. He used Ashwin, Jadeja, and even Pragyan, and all of them took wickets. When Dhoni captained the Indian team, there was a presence which gave a big advantage," Kaif said.

Dhoni's record as a home Test captain is strong, with 21 wins in 30 matches, giving him a 70% win rate. Overall, he captained India in 60 Tests, with 27 wins, 18 losses, and 15 draws.

Kaif also shared his two cents on Virat Kohli’s aggressive approach as Test captain, emphasizing his ability to maintain a strong core team.

“Virat Kohli went one step ahead of Dhoni. His aggression comes out when the team is in trouble or stuck. Kohli told his bowlers, If you want to play, then you have to take 20 wickets; else, don’t come to the ground. You know, Kohli has lost two Test matches at home he captained in 31 Test matches. Kohli believed in keeping the core intact," Kaif added.

“South Africa came earlier when Kohli was the captain. They lost so badly. Virat used his fast bowlers and also backed the spinners after assessing the opposition team. This was his speciality, which is why both Kohli and Dhoni became such great captains," he concluded.

Kohli has the best record by an Indian Test captain at home, with 24 wins in 31 matches. He had a 77.41% win rate and famously won all 11 home Test series he captained. Overall, he led India to 40 wins in 68 Test matches.