Virat Kohli Not As Good As MS Dhoni Yet As Captain, Says Shahid Afridi

Team India skipper Virat Kohli has been breaking records at will in every series he plays and is being considered a modern-day great of the game. However, when it comes to his captaincy, Virat Kohli is still a work in progress, thinks former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Afridi said that Kohli is his most favourite batsman in the world but he has a lot to learn from Mahendra Singh Dhoni as far as captaincy is concerned. "As a player Virat Kohli is my favourite but he needs to work on his captaincy because for me Dhoni is still the best," Afridi said.

India are currently in Australia for a full series and they did not start their much-anticipated tour on a bright note.

The visitors lost the first game of the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series by a narrow margin of four runs in Brisbane conceding a 1-0 lead to the hosts.

Afridi thinks that Indian batsmen will have to step up if they want to win on Australian soil.

"Australian pitches are not the same any more the ball bounces but it is easier to hit runs so India can win if they bat well in Australia," Afridi said.

According to veteran Pakistan batsman Ramiz Raja, India have a world-class batting line-up and they will surely adjust well to the conditions.

"It is all about adjusting to the conditions. Batsmen will get used to the extra bit of bounce and bowlers will have to adjust if they have to win," Raja said.

India have toured Australia on 11 occasions since 1947 and are yet to win a Test series Down Under.

Before departing to Australia, the 30-year-old Kohli said that he is hoping to play a sledge-free series in Australia this time and Ramiz Raja thinks that Kohli should be his natural self not try to curb his aggression.

"It is very difficult to alter your DNA in a space of 20-25 days. Kohli should be himself and play his natural game. Everything is fine if he plays cricket within the parameters," Raja concluded.

(With inputs from Rica Roy)