Virat Kohli is only two matches old into his Test captaincy © Getty Images
Virat Kohli has reportedly asked for a rest during the Bangladesh tour. However, Nishad Pai Vaidya writes that Kohli should play the Test and can skip the one-day games. Being the new Test captain, it is important Kohli settles into the role starting from the one-off game against Bangladesh. Virat Kohli likely to skip India tour of Bangladesh 2015
Should Virat Kohli tour Bangladesh for the only Test? Reports have been rife that the Indian Test skipper has asked for a break from the short tour following a long time on the road. Kohli’s last break was during the Champions League T20 (CLT20), for which his team the Royal Challengers Bangalore hadn’t qualified. Since then, he has played all the games for India through to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 followed by the Indian Premier League (IPL). Surely, one would agree, Kohli deserves a break. India tour of Bangladesh 2015: Expect monsoon to play spoilsport
However, Kohli is fresh to Test captaincy, having officially taken over from MS Dhoni after the latter’s retirement Down Under. The Sydney Test was Kohli’s first game as the full-time captain; he had led India in the first Test of the tour in the absence of Dhoni. In his two outings as skipper, he did decently well, bringing a breath of fresh air. Kohli showed the attacking intent and showed aggression with the way he led. With India stepping into a new era under Kohli, it would be ideal if he takes up the lone Test.
India need stability in their Test side. There is a young bunch of players who have not had too many years in the white flannels. Kohli is one of the more experienced players in the side and being a new captain, it is important that he plays this Test match. He will get a chance to settle himself into the role. Appointing a skipper for a one-off Test at this stage will only bring in instability as Kohli would then enter for the longer tours and take over. One must also remember that Sourav Ganguly started his Test captaincy in Bangladesh, with a lone Test in 2000.
Having said that, Kohli certainly deserves a break and can be given a breather for the three One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He has been on the run for a long time and it is advisable that he gets rest. The Test should be on Kohli’s list though. This yet again reflects how tough modern day schedules are on the players. The Bangladesh tour clearly has not been scheduled well and has been put in an inopportune moment. Also, there is a threat of rain during this time of the year which further puts a cloud over the series. Last year, the three ODIs were affected by rain and it turned out to be an unnecessary tour. With that in mind, one can say that it was not the right time to host it.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)