Kohli & Kumble - Dream Team In The Making?

The chemistry between coach Kumble and skipper Kohli seems just right. The Signs are promisingfor the Indian team ahead of what could be a long, gruelling home season.

- S. Dinakar

They are different per- bound by a Tsonalities common trait — aggression on the arena. Anil Kumble, courteous and soft spoken, played his cricket hard. You could see it in the manner he bounded in with the ball, appealed, celebrated a wicket or anguished over a fielding lapse.

Virat Kohli is a brash young man. Unlike Kumble, he has been involved in spats with the opposition, can be temperamental in his interactions with the media, and is someone who can get under the skin of the adversary with his gamesmanship.

YET, KOHLI’S HEART, like Kumble’s, beats for the Indian team. And he too is a match-winner, can inspire and lift his team.

The chemistry between coach Kumble and skipper Kohli seems just right. The signs are promising for the Indian team ahead of what could be a long, gruelling home season.

 With India scheduled to play 13 Tests in the coming months, including the home series against New Zealand, England and Australia, Kumble and Kohli are working in tandem.

A 2-0 Test series victory in the Caribbean against a weak,dispirited West Indian team may not be much of an achievement but at least marks a winning start to the Kumble-Kohli partnership. The battles against the Englishmen, the Aussies and the Kiwis could be harder even if India would be meeting them on familiar, spinner-friendly wickets.

INDIA HAS THE MAKINGS of a strong Test team, yet some pieces have to fall in place. Importantly, India will have to decide on its top order. There should be clarity about the Indian opening pair. The omission of Murali Vijay, India’s most accomplished opening batsman in the last three years and in the opinion of many its finest contemporary Test batsman, from the third Test at St. Lucia was shocking.