Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath believes India’s flamboyant batsman and Test skipper Virat Kohli is the right person to lead the team and his aggressive approach both on and off the field is a positive sign as long as he is scoring runs.
“I think it is a positive. Because you want a leader who is strong, who wouldn’t take a backward step, who would lead by example. But you don’t want to go too far or go overboard crossing the line,” McGrath, who is on a three-city tour as Hardy’s brand ambassador for Sula Selections, told in an exclusive interview here on Monday.
“I think Virat has held himself in good control at the moment. I like the way he has gone about it. He can back it up with runs with the bat. He is a class batsman as well. Being aggressive is one thing and can’t back up is another, but Virat can back it up. I think India are in good hands moving forward with him as a leader.”
The retired fast bowler who claimed 563 wickets in 124 Tests and 381 scalps in 250 One-Day-Internationals (ODI) took over as the coaching director of the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai in 2012 from fellow Aussie pace bowling great Dennis Lillee.
Speaking on the current young Indian bowling line-up comprising pacers Varun Aaron, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Ishwar Pandey, McGrath said he is impressed with the present lot and hopes they continue performing even better.
With the Ashes series coming up between England and Australia at the end of the year, McGrath believes Australia have a good chance of winning it.
“Australians are playing some pretty good cricket. I am predicting Australia will do very well and win the series.”
On the prolonged controversy in English cricket surrounding sacked batsman Kevin Pietersen, he said, “It’s a dilemma. KP is a class player. There has been lot of friction between him and the team and the England board.”
“A player of his quality would make it tougher for Australia. If he is not playing, it makes it easier for Australia and if he is playing, he will make it tougher for Australia.”
