The demand for the removal of Virat Kohli from the captaincy of the Indian cricket team has been doing rounds on social media since India’s defeat in the final of the World Test Championship. New Zealand outclassed India in the pivotal game by eight wickets and clinched the Test mace to become the inaugural winner of the WTC.
Former England spinner Graeme Swann is unmoved by the heavy protest shown by Indian fans against Virat Kohli. Swann believes it would be unfair to remove Kohli from captaincy after what he did for the team in the last few years.
“Virat Kohli is an absolute champion and a superstar. He has added steel to the Indian team. You only have to see his passion whenever a wicket goes, his face when there is a misfield. He is 100 percent committed to the job,” Swann told SportsKeeda.
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“To get rid of Virat Kohli at the moment, when you have such a good captain, would be an absolute crime against cricket. I don’t think they should look elsewhere. India lost that game because they were underprepared and under-cooked going into that Test match.”
Swann added New Zealand’s two Test matches against England helped them eclipse India in the final.
New Zealand played England in a two-match Test series, which they won comfortably. On the other hand, India reached the UK in the first week of June and only got an intra-squad match to taste the English conditions.
“India just had net practice in Southampton. Nothing beats preparing for a Test match like actual Test match play. So New Zealand had everything in their favour when it came to who was going to win that game. That showed during the five days as India looked slightly rusty especially some of the batsmen,” added Swann.
Going into the final day, India were required to bat well to avoid a defeat. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were at the crease but failed to bat long and threw their wickets. The middle-order couldn’t present any fight against the in-form Kiwi bowling lineup. Indian batting lineup skittled for 170 in the second innings, leaving New Zealand to chase 139 runs to claim their first ICC title in two decades.
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor remained composed and added 96 runs for the third wicket to chase the target down with eight wickets in hand.
