Virat Kohli is a man full of gestures, captains should be subtle, not hot-tempered: Salman Butt said

Reacting to India’s defeat by New Zealand in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC), former Pakistan captain Salman Butt said that the captain should be subtle, not hot-tempered, like Virat Kohli.

Butt said that most of the captains who have won titles in the past were cool and composed. The 36-year-old also pointed out that Kohli have failed to win anything as India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain, adding that people don’t remember such leader.

“You can be a very good captain but if you don’t win any title, masses won’t remember you. May be you are a good captain and have good plans but your bowler may not be able to execute it. So luck has to be on your side as well. People only remember those who win tournaments,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.

“Sometimes you may not be a great captain but your team may be very good and you may end up winning a major title. So that does not define a captain but for the world, of course, a good captain is one who has won big events.

“Virat Kohli has not won any ICC title neither has he won the IPL. He is a top-class cricketer, has excellent body language and is aggressive. His energy level is at a different level, and it is evident that he wants to give his best every time he steps out in the middle. But captains should be subtle and not fiery.

“We kept hearing during the WTC final, that it is a battle between fire (Virat Kohli) and ice (Kane Williamson). Most top-class captains who have won titles were cool or gesture-less at crunch moments. Virat Kohli is a man full of gestures. Had he won, he would have been praised no end,” Butt concluded.

Notably, India last won an ICC title under the leadership of MS Dhoni in 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.