A tour like no other for Virat

Indias last series win in New Zealand was more than a decade ago Before that Mahendra Singh Dhoniled 10 triumph in 2009 Indias only series glory in New Zealand was in 196768 with a healthy victory margin of 31Doubtless New Zealand have been Indias tormentors on their soil and though the pundits didnt anticipate Virat Kohli amp Co to steamroll Kane Williamsons side India were not expected to be outthought outwitted and overwhelmed for a 02 lashingNew Zealand looked a tight unit Blooding the tall Kyle Jamieson to bowl alongside that dreaded unheralded pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult produced the right kind of shock treatment to deflate the opposition in redball cricket Literally and metaphorically it was a tall order for the visiting Indians who were touring New Zealand for a Test contest after six yearsPerhaps the biggest shock of all was Kohlis treacherous run with the bat throughout his stay in Kiwiland And though the current team dont depend on one player to deliver the goods the skipper not getting runs can have a huge positive effect on the opponentsThe moving ball had its say and with due respect to this team for their invincibility at home and their odd Test victory abroad they have struggled in seaming conditions In the last six years India have lost seven and three Tests in England and New Zealand respectively Thats a sad commentary on the batting even as the word great continues to be used as loosely as an oversized pyjamaI remember Andy Roberts the great West Indies fast bowler saying that victories in England chiefly the 30 triumph in 1976 gave his team the most satisfaction because he believed they always struggled in those conditions New Zealand has never been an easy place to win and even the great West Indies team under Clive Lloyd didnt win their series there in 1980 That West Indies team would like to believe that the 01 loss was caused more by poor umpiring than the stubborn opponents and conditionsBut back to the present If Kohli was asked to reflect on his Test career the tour of England in 2014 and the justconcluded series in New Zealand will constitute the low points Thirtyeight runs in four innings is a shocker and his 950 average for the series is only better than Sourav Gangulys 725 v NZ in 200203 and Mohammed Azharuddins 840 1996 England tour among Indian batsmencaptains in overseas series defeats across three decadesVarious points of view have been put forth for Kohlis failure in New Zealand Kapil Dev reckons his reflexes failed him while Virender Sehwag has put it down to lack of form But Kohli getting his mojo back is as certain as the rising sunWhat a forgettable tour it has been for him from a publicity point of view as well In Christchurch where the Test ended inside three days Kohli was pulled up by umpire Richard Kettleborough when a fielder yelled two as the opposition batsmen Tom Latham and Tom Blundell were taking a run He was also heard mouthing off an expletive to opposition skipper Kane Williamson and abusing the crowd Then came the press conference where he argued with a local journalist Kohlis rude reply notwithstanding the journalists line of questioning quite naturally provoked the captain Virat whats your reaction to your behaviour on the field swearing at Williamson when he got out swearing at the crowd As an Indian captain dont you think you should set a better example on the fieldWouldnt it have been better had the reporter asked What was that incident with Williamson and then the crowd all aboutThe question was put to an alreadygutted captain who lost form and the series 02 How would normal human beings react to a question that casts aspersions on his or her character right off the bat Kohli lost it and his irrational exchange of words which involved asking a question What do you think in response to the original question came as no surprise given Kohlis temperamentIt was not a half question as Kohli believed it was but yes the details were light on facts because the ICC match referee didnt deem the incident fit to be made publicIn the end Kohli came out looking like the villain when the reporter ought to have shown more constraint and tact while framing his questionOverall it was a very honest press conference where the Indian captain didnt shy away from the fact that his side were outplayed and they have some work to doMeanwhile Kohli deserves to be served a chill pill The ODI series against South Africa can be skipped and it would cause no harm if Rohit Sharma who was not part of the carnage in New Zealand is given a captaincy challenge againKohli will also need to reboot in time for the Indian Premier League where the stress of leading Royal Challengers Bangalore cannot be underestimated For a side that has never laid their hands on the IPL trophy a fresh Kohli would be invaluablemiddays group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance He tweets ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this 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