The feather in the cap

BY RITAM MITRA

There’s been a change in Virat Kohli over the last two years. For the first half of his career, his purpose was singular: to churn out mountains of runs and stake his claim as one of the finest to ever wield a willow. That purpose has been all but fulfilled; at least in limited overs cricket, Kohli is destined to be the greatest of them all. Now well into the second chapter of his journey, Kohli is searching for the most important feather in his cap, the one all great athletes covet as they begin to contemplate a future after sport: Kohli is hunting for a legacy, and it is through his captaincy that he wants it set in stone.

As he leads India into an ICC World Cup for the first time, the one question mark hanging like a spectre over Kohli today is his leadership. There have been highs, no doubt, with the team’s maiden Test series win in Australia last summer the undisputed highlight. As is well-known however, that came against a severely depleted Australian side still reeling from the suspensions of their captain and vicecaptain, who were also their two best batsmen. And amongst the peaks of Kohli’s short reign already lie significant troughs: the battering in England, the repeated IPL failures despite his intimidating Bangalore squad, and, against Australia earlier this year, becoming the first Indian team in nearly 15 years to lose an ODI series after