A cheat is a cheat

[trundler]

Didn't Smith explicitly say he was mentally exhausted after the Ashes? He's not captaincy material at all.

 

[Spark]

Sounded like a tongue in cheek post tbh.

But yes, just because you have supreme powers of concentration as a batsman doesn't mean have a captains mentality or personality. "Mental strength" seems a rather nebulous concept much like so many other BS cricketing terms.

there also seems to be an inverse relationship between being that kind of "mentally strong" batsman and actually being a competent captain tbh. the sort of mental strength that being a top batsman requires - intense inward focus to the point of obsession - has a tendency to produce a particular kind of obsessive, introverted and very intense sort of character in top batsmen which is really not that suited to captaincy; captains need to be extroverted, responsive to their teammates, able to balance lots of competing small tasks rather than hyperfocus on one big one etc.

given that what makes (made?) smith such a freak was his insane focus at the crease, it perhaps isn't that surprising that he wasn't great at the man management + leadership sides of the equation.

 

[TheJediBrah]

there also seems to be an inverse relationship between being that kind of "mentally strong" batsman and actually being a competent captain tbh. the sort of mental strength that being a top batsman requires - intense inward focus to the point of obsession - has a tendency to produce a particular kind of obsessive, introverted and very intense sort of character in top batsmen which is really not that suited to captaincy; captains need to be extroverted, responsive to their teammates, able to balance lots of competing small tasks rather than hyperfocus on one big one etc.

given that what makes (made?) smith such a freak was his insane focus at the crease, it perhaps isn't that surprising that he wasn't great at the man management + leadership sides of the equation.

something to this. Tendulkar was a poor captain, Lara wasn't great either IIRC.

 

[trundler]

Nor was Boycott.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Didn't Smith explicitly say he was mentally exhausted after the Ashes? He's not captaincy material at all.

Imagine if he had to face the #pressure Sachin had to on a daily basis. Probably would've broken down in tears in public, well more often than he already does, that is.

 

[trundler]

Imagine if he had to face the #pressure Sachin had to on a daily basis. Probably would've broken down in tears in public, well more often than he already does, that is.

Thereby conclusively proving Kohli>Smith. On a side note, does Kohli get the same reverence as Tendulkar or Gavaskar?

 

[TheJediBrah]

KFC employee: "Sorry sir, there's a 3 minute wait on those wicked wings"
Smith: *bursts into tears*

 

[the big bambino]

Tbf it is meant to be convenience food.

 

[TheJediBrah]

it's always a tough decision to decide whether to wait those 3 minutes or take an alternative to replace the unavailable item

Smith would probably just yell out to the dressing room to ask what to do though

 

[trundler]

Is Smith secretly Forrest Gump

 

[srbhkshk]

Thereby conclusively proving Kohli>Smith. On a side note, does Kohli get the same reverence as Tendulkar or Gavaskar?

No one gets or will come close to the reverence for Tendlya, but Kohli is up there with anyone else.

 

[StephenZA]

there also seems to be an inverse relationship between being that kind of "mentally strong" batsman and actually being a competent captain tbh. the sort of mental strength that being a top batsman requires - intense inward focus to the point of obsession - has a tendency to produce a particular kind of obsessive, introverted and very intense sort of character in top batsmen which is really not that suited to captaincy; captains need to be extroverted, responsive to their teammates, able to balance lots of competing small tasks rather than hyperfocus on one big one etc.

given that what makes (made?) smith such a freak was his insane focus at the crease, it perhaps isn't that surprising that he wasn't great at the man management + leadership sides of the equation.

Amla and Kallis prime examples... terrible captains.

 

[OverratedSanity]

No one gets or will come close to the reverence for Tendlya, but Kohli is up there with anyone else.

I think there are a lot of people who genuinely dislike kohli. Much more than there were for Sachin. In general I think the cricket audience has become a little less obsessed with the sport than in the 90s too. The fanaticism for Sachin will never be matched again.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think there are a lot of people who genuinely dislike kohli. Much more than there were for Sachin. In general I think the cricket audience has become a little less obsessed with the sport than in the 90s too. The fanaticism for Sachin will never be matched again.

People dislike Kohli because they are beta males triggered by his alpha-ness

 

[trundler]

Sachin was less of a superstar than Kohli. By that I mean he acted less like one compared to Kohli.

 

[srbhkshk]

Sachin was less of a superstar than Kohli. By that I mean he acted less like one compared to Kohli.

Times be changing, the way Kohli acts would have been unacceptable during the formative years of Sachin, there are many who would still frown upon it - but by and large it doesn't matter that much anymore.

 

[vcs]

Agree with OS - Sachin's superstardom was unique partly because of the circumstances of that era (TVs and cable connection becoming widespread in India), and the fact that he was so young and surrounded by so much dross.

 

[Spark]

I think there are a lot of people who genuinely dislike kohli. Much more than there were for Sachin. In general I think the cricket audience has become a little less obsessed with the sport than in the 90s too. The fanaticism for Sachin will never be matched again.

if you listen to English journalists then apparently the people who dislike Kohli are a silent majority lmao

 

[sunilz]

Another factor is that India were mostly ranked 5-6 throughout the 90s . So for most of the fans Tendulkar's performance was the only thing that mattered . Wheras for major part of Kohli's career India has been ranked 1-2 in both Test and ODI . So fans are less passionate about Kohli's performance and more passionate about team's performance imo.

 

[stephen]

Another factor is that India were mostly ranked 5-6 throughout the 90s . So for most of the fans Tendulkar's performance was the only thing that mattered . Wheras for major part of Kohli's career India has been ranked 1-2 in both Test and ODI . So fans are less passionate about Kohli's performance and more passionate about team's performance imo.

Which shows that India is maturing as a cricketing nation. In another couple of decades they'll start picking the best team for each match regardless of what the captain thinks.