Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar compared the on-field aggression of Sourav Ganguly and Virat Kohli and opined on whether it helped them become great players and lead the team effectively.
Agarkar played quite a lot of his cricket under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy and has seen Virat Kohli from close quarters in his second innings as a commentator and media professional.
Speaking to TimesofIndia.com before third India vs England Test in Headingley began, Agarkar compared the on-field captaincy styles of Ganguly and Virat.
"Sourav was aggressive. He was one of the most outspoken people I have seen. Sourav's personality was different, Virat has his own, MS Dhoni has his own. Whatever helps your game, you try to do that, whether as a captain or a player. Maybe being aggressive and vocal helped Sourav on the field. It is probably the case with Virat as well. That's what helps his game. As long as no line is crossed, I don't see any problem with it. And why compare? Both (Sourav and Virat) played in different eras. Both did well for India. Both are great captains. Both have been terrific players," Agarkar said.
Agarkar further said that he feels India can win the five-Test series before the third Test at Headingley began.
"Ahead of the series, I thought India would be favorites. Because England is missing some of their key players. Ben Stokes, with his all-around abilities, is one of their bigger misses. England struggled against New Zealand in the two-match series. Stuart Broad is injured and Jofra Archer isn't there too. But India is a terrific team at the moment. India still has to play well. If they play the way did at the Lord's, India should win the series. You need to play well all 5 days of a Test match. For me, India is favorites to win the Test series," Agarkar, who played 26 Tests and bagged 58 wickets in his career, said.
Ajit Agarkar was also all praises for the Indian pace contingent and lauded Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, and the young Mohammed Siraj.
"Every pacer in the team has got a different strength. Ishant has played over 100 Tests. Playing 100 Tests, especially for a fast bowler, is very very difficult. Shami is a match-winner. Bumrah has played 20 plus Tests, but he has won games for India in his short career. Siraj is looking better and rising with every game. There is variety in the attack. Bumrah is a little bit different. His action is unique. He has got pace, changes length," Agarkar told TimesofIndia.com.
"Shami is good with seam. It doesn't matter if the wicket is flat, Shami creates wicket-taking opportunities. Ishant is a tall guy and has a lot of experience. Siraj is the one who runs in, the whole day. He bowls 20-25 overs for his captain. There are different strengths in this pace attack. As a unit, they are doing perfectly well at the moment. Virat must be a happy captain. He has not just one good bowler, he has variety. This makes the opposition's job even tougher. At the moment, if these four can stay fit, India has a huge advantage," he added.
(Times of India inputs)
