St.Moritz: Legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis believes that Virat Kohli needs to, ‘tone down a bit’ when it came to his aggression while leading the side.
The Indian captain faced a lot of criticism in the earlier part of the tour when they were thoroughly beaten by the Proteas in the first two tests.
“He has been aggressive and I think it works for his game. But it maybe an area he needs to look at… the way it works for him he has got to see if it works for his team. It might be an area to tone it down a little bit. It certainly brings out the best in him and I think he should not change too much for him. He bats well when he is aggressive within himself,” said Kallis, on the sidelines of the Ice Cricket Event.
“As a leader sometimes you cannot always be as aggressive as he is, that is an area he will work on, he is still young in his captaincy. I am sure he will chill out a little more as he gets a little bit older. But he is obviously very passionate and that is nice to see,” he added.
The Test series between both these nations was indeed one of the most intense and hotly contested ones and after facing defeats in the first two games, India bounced back strong and hard to clinch a dramatic win in the third match.
Kallis also opined that the Indian team still has to improve on their away record.
“One area India probably try and want to improve their record on, is their away record especially on wickets that carry a little more than they are used to. But it seems they are making their strides and getting better at it. I am sure they would have learnt a lot playing in South Africa,” he said.
He also had words of praise for the Indian pace attack, and said that they have put South Africa under pressure.
“They hit good areas (in Johannesburg Test), that is what you do in foreign conditions. You obviously learn from previous tours and it looks like they have put South Africa under pressure,” Kallis said.
The Indian wrist-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have spun a web around South Africa in the ODI series so far as the hosts have failed to provide an answer to their variations. Barring the fourth ODI where they were hit for some runs, it has all been the Kuldeep-Chahal show for India with the ball in hand.
India, for the very first time have won an ODI series in South Africa as they lead the six-match series 4-1, after their dominant victory in Port Elizabeth.
Kallis however felt that leg-spinners would have a big role to play in next year’s World Cup.
“Having a leg-spinner or mystery spinner is really important. That adds something little extra (to the bowling attack). They (Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal) have done well, put South Africa in pressure. I think wrist spinners are going to play a role,” he said.
He also added that South Africa, who had made it to the semis in the last edition of the marquee tournament would need more depth in their side.
“I think South Africa have realised that we need a bit more depth, (especially) when we get a few injuries. Not a bad thing, it can expose some of the youngsters to international cricket and hope that they learn a lot from that,” Kallis, who represented South Africa in 166 Tests and 328 ODIs said.
Following an injury to skipper Faf Du Plessis, Aiden Markram was given the charge of leading the side in the rest of the ODI series and Kallis, while commenting on it said, “I do not know the set-up, I do not know him too well. But he must be highly spoken of, highly expected to get the job. I have not been involved with the set-up but he seems to be having good cricket brain on him and understands the game.”
Kallis will continue to coach the Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming edition of the IPL and he said that the teams are pretty much balanced after the auctions last month.
“Yeah, looking forward to the IPL. It was an interesting auction and most of the sides are well balanced. The way the auction works, the money… it makes all the teams pretty even,” he said.