Dubai: India batting legend Rahul Dravid believes the time is not right for star batsman Virat Kohli to step up and replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain.
Dravid was speaking in response to comments from former Australia skipper Ian Chappell, who said earlier this week: “I think it time for Dhoni to go and maybe it is right time for Kohli to come in as captain. Certainly, he [Dhoni] is not a Test captain. I think he is a good captain in shorter version of the game. I don’t think there would be a problem to give it [the captaincy] Kohli now, though.
But Dravid, speaking on being inducted into the Laureus World Sports Academy, the 47th member of the panel that uses sport as a tool to help underprivileged youngsters via a number of community initiatives, said: “Look, I’ve said this before. I don’t think [Virat] Kholi is the right man in the near future to take India forward, simply because, you know, I think we have seen even in the last two Test series that the Indian team is actually going forward.
“They are getting themselves in good positions to win Test matches. They have not won a series or Test match as yet, but they are definitely moving in the right direction and they are moving forward.”
The man known as The Wall, due to his fierce resistance at the crease, said 33-year-old Dhoni’s experience tipped the balance in his favour in terms of the captaincy of India.
Dravid, the fourth-highest run scorer in Test cricket after fellow Indian Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis with 13,288 runs from 164 Tests, added: “I think [MS] Dhoni has had an opportunity to stamp his authority and style over this young team. I mean, a lot of people say that, India [has] not won a Test match, for whatever, 14 Test matches overseas now.
“But in eight of those Test matches, a lot of seniors were playing. So it’s only recently that he’s got a young team, and I think he needs go be given the opportunity to build it up and grow that team. And Virat’s time will come. He is the future and his time will come when it needs to come.”
Of his new role at Laureus, where he joins fellow cricket legends Steve Waugh, Vivian Richards, Sir Ian Botham and Dravid’s compatriot Kapil Dev, the 41-year-old said: “I am honoured to have been invited to join the Laureus Academy and I look forward to supporting the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. It was a special moment for me to be handed my certificate today by Academy member Steve Waugh, who I have played against and respected for many years. How do I see my future? Well, I am involved in the Indian Premier League [as coach of Rajasthan Royals]. I do little bits and pieces of media work and I have other projects and organisations that I support in India, as well. So there is work that does keep me quite busy.”
