5 things that can help Virat Kohli turn around Team India's fortunes overseas

India lost two overseas Test series back to back. The first thing that needs happen is the acceptance that there needs to be a change. Because, no matter the number of excuses that the coach and captain may put, the number of positives or learnings from these tours that they may boast of, in the end, India has lost two important series and lost badly too.

Whatever, they claim to have learnt, wasn’t put into practice, at least not on these two tours. If you read Kohli’s interview post-South Africa drubbing, the same things are being said today as well, nothing has changed. The loss to England was worse as it was to a team that just wasn't good enough with the bat, ball or on the field. It was India's collapses which handed the hosts the victory. At least, the South African team was stronger than England.

The main reason for losses isn't as much to do with the players but more to do with team management and leadership, and overall a sense of carefree attitude. Play hard, party harder seems to be the motto. But, we see more of the latter than the former. The coach and captain may differ, but, there is a slide that needs to stop as soon as possible.

No point in making changes after the Australia tour and the World Cup. It needs to happen now. And that is what is listed in this slideshow. Here are five things that can help Virat Kohli to turn around Team India's fortunes.

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#1 Better leadership

England v India: Specsavers 5th Test - Day Two

Let's start in agreement that Virat Kohli is the only option. One may be tempted to say, we should look beyond, but, honestly, where are the options? Rahane has shown glimpses of leadership skills. But, as it goes in cricket, pick the best XI and then pick a leader from those men. Does Rahane fit into the XI anymore? It is doubtful.

Coming back to Kohli, where has he lacked as a captain? We could talk about poor field placements, team selections etc. But, in the end, it was lack of two things - experience and common sense. And it was evident everywhere – team selections, field placements, man management, reading of pitch, use of DRS, handling the press and also something as simple as the toss.

Kohli’s statement, of having a coin with heads on both sides, to win the toss, exemplifies it. A coin is supposed to have a tail also, no? One can now say, Kumble was right. Kohli does need someone to show him the mirror. Is that happening? No. But, does Kohli, think he needs someone to show him the mirror? Probably not, either. And that is the problem. BCCI needs to get someone to talk to him.

#2 Improved team selection

Every great side from the West Indian teams of the late 70s to early 80s, Aussie sides led by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting and even the Indian sides led by Ganguly, Dravid and Dhoni had a core set of players. It was a core blessed with good old principles of good technique, ability to bat/bowl long, good temperament, good first-class record, and with the basic premise that a good player will play well in all conditions.

Unfortunately, under Kohli, none of these age-old principles has been considered. Players with IPL and ODI experience have been picked. Players are picked on the basis of additional skills rather than core primary skill, without much importance to first-class record. Players are picked for two games and then dropped, to be picked again. It only leaves you with 11 vulnerable men. Hence, we see good players going down instead of rising up.

The current state of Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan and Umesh Yadav are classic cases of this round robin selection. It is better to drop players, so that, they can work on their shortcomings in first-class cricket and come back stronger, but when they are in the team, they need to be given a long run, irrespective of the results, conditions and performances.

#3 Preparation

Pre-tour first-class games have not given their due. Even, what is currently followed - 16 members' side 3-day games and net sessions - is not helping either. We have seen in South Africa and England, that only after the first two tests, India got their act together. Kohli may not need as much practice, but, other mortals need some.

Agreed, the pitch may not be similar aand the opposition may not be challenging. Won't it help players to have match practice, runs and wickets under their belt? Moreover, with the clout of BCCI, can't it request its counterpart to schedule a game against a decent first-class team?

Moreover, why just practice games, whatever happened to the practice of having serious preparation camps ahead of long tours? Probably add in some batting or bowing consultants too. England's preparation for the 2012-13 tour of India is by far the best preparation for an away tour, in recent times, which obviously resulted in a memorable win for them.

#4 Media management

One thing that was quite evident was that the team needs to have a code of conduct, especially while dealing with the media. With the fans being so intrusive nowadays, every action is quantified, judged and may work against the players, especially on tough tours.

Players posting pictures from sightseeing on social media may seem harmless, but, if it is after a humiliating loss, it can cause ripples in social media, attracting a lot of negative attention towards the players. Eventually, it does get to the players & has the capacity to affect their performances. Same stands for interviews with broadcasters; there needs to be some limitations on what can be shared and what cannot.

Ashwin explaining all his variations to Ian Ward immediately after a great first test was totally unwarranted. As Sunil Gavaskar rightly put, it was akin to a magician revealing his tricks. And finally, the way both the coach and the captain handled the press conferences left a lot to be desired. There is a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and both erred being on the wrong side of it on multiple times.

The media is no mug nor are the fans, they see everything, they know everything. A little more humility and gracious acceptance of the errors of judgement was the need of the hour, which still hasn't happened. Perhaps, BCCI could do well to have a code of conduct, not just for on the field exchanges, but for the ones taking place off the field as well.

#5 Better support staff

Once, you are in a position of power, there is a tendency to get like-minded people around you. People who would adapt to your ideas and plans, rather than someone who would have a difference of opinion. Unfortunately, if leaders are only surrounded by yes men, they end up getting disconnected from reality, their own teammates and also with what is good for their team.

The reality is India has lost two major series even before the last test and mostly by huge margins. These are losses that are being added to Kohli’s record. If wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka are something that Kohli wants to be remembered for, he’s aiming far lower. Rahul Dravid’s 2007 team in England will be remembered for generations, even if it won the same number of tests that Kohli won on this tour. And the current attack, is the best one ever, shouldn’t Kohli aim higher?

For that, India needs a change in support staff. To understand why let’s look at IPL as a case study, a high pressure, long tournament, which requires a team to consistently do well for a long period, and at their best at crucial moments.

Let’s look at the finalists from this year’s edition. CSK and SRH. If you look at the players from these two teams and compare them with players from other teams, man to man, you can easily say, they fall short of an MI or RCB in terms skills and talent on paper. In fact, most of the CSK players were considered to be over the hill. So, what caused this turnaround?

The answer is simple, good support staff. Even, a talisman skipper like MS Dhoni prefers sensible men such as Stephen Fleming and Michael Hussey to support him. Same with SRH, Tom Moody, VVS Laxman and M.Muralitharan support their captains. These guys have helped the leaders to build sensible teams, got the right players, challenged them to improve, backed them, inspired them, set in good work ethics.

Are there no disagreements? I am sure there are. But, they still need to show a mirror to the leader, not necessarily in a confronting way, but in a way, the skipper acknowledges. In the end, the teams look so happy from outside and turn up every day, looking to get better, stronger. India needs such men in their support staff too. If we can have well-seasoned legends turn up for IPL as coaches and mentors, why not for the cash-rich BCCI powered Team India?

One may say, it’s not correct to compare IPL success with Test cricket, but, the point is, a captain cannot think of building a team on his own. BCCI needs to get someone such as Dhoni or Ganguly to talk to Kohli, make him understand, there are situations when he would need to have a different opinion.

To be surrounded by people, including coach and players who always agree, praise, defend will neither help him nor Team India. RCB has identified this need and got in Gary Kirsten as coach. Hopefully, BCCI will do the same.

There is a case, where, one may think, changing the support staff eight months before World Cup may not be the right thing, but, if it is to arrest the slide, it’s not bad. And the team itself doesn’t need any major changes. Except for a few, this is a good team. We must believe in this team. We must believe in Kohli. He just needs help.