Virat Kohli 2.0 can be a modern great

Virat Kohli during a practice session yesterday on the eve of the fifth and final Test against England which begins today PicsPTIChennai Therersquos a certain amount of inevitability about Virat Kohli scoring a ton and Ravichandran Ashwin taking fivewicket hauls Both joined forces again to sink England and clinch the series with a match to go The fourth Test showed that an important character of a successful team mdash lsquoOne for all and all for onersquoYou could see Ashwin standing up for Kohli against Anderson Kohli not allowing his ego to get in the way of playing second fiddle to Jayant and Vijay ignoring a back spasm for the call of dutyAlso ReadHeres one more reason why Virat Kohli is Indias sweetheartAnderson quipped about how Kohlirsquos technique might not have changed at all and itrsquos the pitches in India that havenrsquot allowed the flaws to resurface While we wouldnrsquot know the truth in Andersonrsquos statements till India tours England again therersquos one important element that he missed out Technique in isolation is of no use for men with impeccable technique have failed multiple times in trying circumstances Itrsquos the temperament that guides and empowers technique to make things work There was a lot of brouhaha about Kohlirsquos technical shortcomings in England but little attention was given to his temperament at that stage of his career Itrsquos beyond doubt that hersquos worked on his technique since then for the head is no longer falling over and as a result the front foot isnrsquot going across eitherAlso ReadWe dont feel invincible insists Virat KohliBut more importantly therersquos a marked change in Kohlirsquos temperament for hersquos not a fidgety young batsman anymore who is a little too eager to succeed Kohli 20 is so comfortable in his skin that hersquos willing to wait for hours for his prey to come to him The most important facet of his evolution is his ability to raise his game mdash the bigger the stage the grander the performance Hersquos fast covering the miles from being very good to a modern greatAshwin a valuable playerA fivewicket haulrsquos batting equivalent is considered to be a century Now when you realise that Ashwin has 23 fivewicket hauls in 43 Tests you understand the enormity of his achievements Yes the pitches in India are spinready and yes his numbers are astronomical at home but arenrsquot the conditions same for all the spinners participating in those games There are at least four other spinners plying their craft in the same match on the same pitch but itrsquos only Ashwin who ends up with matchwinning figuresIf fast bowling is a lot about physical strength spin is all about the mental prowess and tactical shrewdness Understanding that the pitch at Wankhede would provide an ideal platform for caromballs Ashwin bowled more of them in one match than he bowled in the first three Tests of the series He also resisted the temptation of bowling quicker in the air to exploit the rapidly wilting pitch for hersquos acutely aware of his optimum speed In theory bowling quicker is a sureshot recipe for success on a turning pitch but in reality one must know the pace with which theyrsquore comfortable over long periods Trying to bowl radically faster would compromise both accuracy and longevityIndiarsquos position in the Test rankings is cemented further with another series victory but thatrsquos when the focus must start shifting to longterm goalsCan India win abroadDoes this team have the wares to win overseas too Letrsquos look at things that are likely to work for and against this Indian team next time they travel overseas The core of Indian batting is fairly settled and have tasted success overseas and therefore itrsquos only fair to assume that the batting unit led by captain Kohli will pass the test of time The only concern in the batting order would be about Murali Vijayrsquos partner for theyrsquove changed more often than a oneyear changes nappiesAlso ReadKohli planning to play county cricket before 2018 England tourInjuries to KL Rahul injuries and loss of form for Shikhar Dhawan lack of confidence in Gautam Gambhir and an occasional change of heart about Vijay has led to instability at the topA settled opening combination is foremost to any teamrsquos success in Tests especially in overseas conditions The spot at No 6 is yet to be sealed by Rohit Sharma but the extended home season has thrown up a few other options too The rise of Ashwin Jayant Yadav Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja with the bat has not just strengthened the lower order but also given Kohli the option of fielding five bowlers Last but not the least the fitness of Indian pacers will play a crucial role in Indiarsquos fortunesIn Mohammed Shami Umesh Yadav Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar India have a decent attack but it is imperative for all of them to stay fit for the next line isnrsquot as promising One injury to an inform pacer can make the entire campaign go downhillAakash Chopra is a former India Test opener