Champions Trophy 2017: Team wise analysis of captains

Champions Trophy is just days away and all the teams are planning their way to victory. It is the most awaited cricketing event of the year. It promises to be a cracker of a tournament as the top 8 teams will lock horns with each other. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top. The majority of the success the team gets is because of the on-field decisions the captain makes. No matter how much homework you do, you have to have the ability to adapt to different situations. This skill is the basic requirement for being a captain. This year’s Champions Trophy has the best teams competing with each other and the captains will be tested to bits. So let us analyze the captains of all the eight teams who have qualified for the Champions Trophy. #1 Virat Kohli (India) Indian skipper Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter) Virat Kohli is captaining team India in his first major ICC tournament. Normally an aggressor, Virat has evolved as a captain in the last year or so. He gets the crowd behind his team and backs the bowlers to do their stuff. Kohli is arguably the best batsman in the world but is still learning the skills of captainship. The 28-year-old is a bowler’s captain and generally, gives them what they want. But he has a plan B in the wings as well. He is energetic and tends to keep his players on toes on the field. There is not a dull moment when Virat Kohli is on the field. It will be interesting how he goes about his business in this year’s Champions Trophy as he and team India will look to defend the title. #2 Steven Smith (Australia) Australia’s Steven Smith. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images) Steven Smith with his unusual technique has earned loads of accolades for his performances with the bat but has a lot to learn when it comes to captainship. The Australian star is quiet and does his talking with the bat but when it comes to his captaincy he is always talking to his bowlers and is very particular about his field placings. We, recently saw Steve take his IPL franchise to the final of the tournament only to lose by one run. He is all ears to the suggestions from his fellow teammates. Smith is very clever with the bowling changes as well and does it extremely well. The pressure of captaincy doesn’t get to him as he has shown he can perform equally well with the bat in any conditions and on any pitch. #3 Kane Williamson (New Zealand) Kane Williamson of New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Kane Williamson is a player who is overshadowed by the likes of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Joe Root. Williamson is more of a laid back captain than the first two mentioned. The 26-year-old is a better batsman when he is captaining the team. He likes to keep things calm on the field but is capable of taking the game to the opposition as well. He knows his players well and his plans more often than not are playing to the strengths of his teammates. New Zealand will not enter the competition as favorites but with a leader like Kane, they may surprise everyone. #4 AB de Villiers (South Africa) AB de Villiers of South Africa. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) AB de Villiers is a star and is probably one of the greatest cricketers. The stats don’t support that statement entirely but talent wise, there is no one matching this guy. South Africa have a tag of chokers and de Villiers is probably the only captain in the current roster who can brush that tag off. De Villiers likes to keep things simple and has a mind clear as water. He has a lot of trust in his bowlers. AB is capable of making some bold decisions and has an unusual way of going about his business. South Africa are the second best ODI team in the world right now and he is one of the reasons why. #5 Angelo Matthews (Sri Lanka) Angelo Mathews. (Photo Source: Twitter) Angelo Matthews is an experienced campaigner. He is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket but is unfairly underrated. The right-hander is a man of few words and we seldom see him cheering and shouting on the field. He is one of those quiet characters who just gets the job done. Matthews has captained Sri Lanka for a while now and is taking a young team to England. Sri Lanka will enter the competition with the tag of underdogs but Angelo will try to exploit the same. He is very intelligent and calm under pressure which is one of his biggest strengths. #6. Eoin Morgan (England) Eoin Morgan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Eoin Morgan is the only captain who has experience of playing in the Champions Trophy. For rest, this is their first time ever. Last time around Morgan took him team to the door of the victory but failed in the end. It was a crushing defeat for England and the next two years were just forgettable. However, since 2015 World Cup, England are one of the best sides in the world. They have turned things around and Eoin is the man behind their success. Morgan is democratic on the field. He listens to the experienced players and then takes the decisions. He is one of those “Stick to the plans” captain and hardly ever derails from the plan drafted. #7 Sarfraz Ahmad (Pakistan) Pakistan’s batsman Babar Azam (R) and Sarfar Ahmed (L) run between the wickets during the 1st ODI match between Pakistan and West Indies. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images) Sarfraz Ahmad is an experienced batsman and has captained the U-19 Pakistan team. He led that team to a world cup win in 2006 beating India by 38 runs. The win was special because Sarfraz’s team defended a total of 109. Sarfraz was brilliant in that game. A gutsy batsman and a fearless captain, Sarfraz has got what it takes to be a leader of the side. He is vocal and has a lot of self-belief. His raw energy behind the stumps is more often than not transferred to the players around him. Captaining the team in his first major ICC tournament, Sarfraz will look to go deep in the tournament. #8 Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) Bangladesh cricketer Mashrafe Mortaza. (Photo credit -/AFP/Getty Images) Mashrafe Mortaza is Bangladesh’s most experienced player. He is the most matured of them as well. He has been through the tough years and is now captaining his side. Mashrafe is a fast bowler and understands the game extremely well. We rarely see a fast bowler captaining a side but Mashrafe does it really well. He is fantastic when it comes to executing their plans and has some talented players under him this time around. Bangladesh plays the opener of the Champions Trophy. Mashrafe and his troops will be planning a major upset as they look to shake the home team.

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