Being vice-captain doesn't mean you'll become captain: Dravid

When India’s squad for the Asia Cup was named a few days back, two things stood out – Sachin Tendulkar will play and Virat Kohli will be vice-captain ahead of Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli’s elevation was heralded by many as a welcome move; a move that gave the fans some inkling of the future course of Indian cricket. For some, it was also a political move designed to keep Gambhir and Virender Sehwag out of the mix.

But no matter what the real reasons behind the decision, the move would have given a youngster like Kohli a lot of confidence. He would have believed that he was marked out for the future and also pretty much a permanent member of the squad for now.

But former India skipper Rahul Dravid believes that the challenge for Kohli is just about beginning.

“Kohli had a great tour of Australia. He did terrifically well in ODIs and the elevation to vice-captain is probably a reward for that,” said Dravid during a function to unveil IPL team Rajasthan Royals’ new jersey.

“He’s a good player obviously but he still needs to establish himself and in that sense, he still has way to go. Having said that, Virat is the first to recognise that he has to go another step further. Being vice-captain doesn’t mean you’ll become captain. We’ve seen that in the past and it won’t change.”

In the very recent past itself, the likes of Suresh Raina have captained the side but now find themselves struggling for form and perhaps a place in the side too. The runs shouldn’t be a problem for the left-hander in the subcontinent but it took just two bad tours to end his tryst with captaincy. Now, Kohli is in the driver’s seat but for how long?

“It’s a good recognition for his form, I feel people like Gautam (Gambhir) shouldn’t feel left out from the team. When the time comes, Gambhir or someone else will stand a chance as well. But for the moment, Dhoni is doing a good job. So we don’t need to worry about that,” said Dravid.

Dravid’s words if nothing else should serve as a reminder to Kohli — the journey for the youngster from Delhi is just beginning. Being named vice-captain means that he is on the right path but staying on that path is easier said than done. And for the moment, that’s Kohli’s biggest challenge. If he can stay focussed the world is his oyster, but if he can’t, he wouldn’t be the first talent to fall by the wayside.