London, June 12 (IANS) England cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott has come up with a handful of advice for India’s new full-time Test captain Virat Kohli saying the aggressive batsman has to find his own way to get his players’ support and try to harness his passion and emotion.
“Virat Kohli has to find his own way to get the players behind him. His runs will help definitely. But runs alone won’t be enough. He follows a fantastic personality in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a truly great leader of men,” Boycott was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on Thursday.
“So Kohli will be compared to Dhoni, and Kohli has to in my opinion, an advice for him, in each passion and emotion he has, but he has to try not to let that passion and emotion boil over. He has got to harness it. He has got a racing heart. Very important to harness it and I wish him well,” he said.
The batting legend who played 108 Tests and 36 One-Day Internationals (ODI) for England also praised Team India’s director Ravi Shastri saying that the former India cricketer has a lot to offer.
He also said he is happy India doesn’t have a coach but a manager or director as the use of a coach is over emphasised, and manager is a better word.
“I am glad Ravi is there and they do not have a coach. Because personally I like Ravi Shastri a lot as he has lot to offer. Personally the use of a coach is over emphasised, manager is a better word. At the top, people shouldn’t be coaching,” the 74-year-old said.
“If anything they need for managing and organising, for me the captain leads the team, sets the tone on the field.”
Boycott also stressed on his scepticism towards coaches, adding that a captain has to think on his own feet on the field, on playing over long period and a coach or manager can’t really help him.
“The captain has to think on his own feet on the field, on play over long period and really coach, manager can’t really help him. The manager or coach can give couple of ideas to him during lunch, team, after play, but the captain has to influence play and no one else. That’s why I say I am not so big believer in coaches,” he said.
“Don’t misunderstand me, some coaches are good but some of them act like a manager. The used term is coach, but really they are managing and that’s the right way to go. Brendon McCullum, Michael Clarke are excellent captains. Arjuna Ranatunga, Michael Vaughan, Mark Taylor, Clive Lloyd, Ian Chappell are great captains,” he added.
Boycott also called for England to consider dropping batsman Ian Bell for Kevin Pietersen for this summer’s Ashes series.
“Bell seems to lack confidence and belief in himself at the moment, which is crazy really because he has all the talent in the world. KP would be better player than him at this moment,” Boycott concluded.