It won’t happen for the first time. When India entered the triangular series in Australia last December, they already were in a different-format-different-captain mode since MS Dhoni had quit Tests. But starting with the Bangladesh tour, it will happen afresh on an entire tour.Kohli has done his bit as captain in the one-off Test at Fatullah, which was played more by rain than the 22 players involved. Besides the decision to declare overnight, weather allowed little for Kohli to strategise. The fate of the Test, a draw, was decided by the forecast that kept its promise.Up next are the ODIs and perhaps Bangladesh’s World Cup grudge to handle. It’s an easy guess that the quarter-final defeat, controversial according to them, will return to hound the Bangladesh fans. And The Tigers would want to put it across the Indians, just like they did against the Pakistanis before this series.But ‘The Tigers’ will have a ‘Lion’ to deal with as Dhoni crosses the border with a set of limited-overs specialists. And this Lion knows how to protect its territory.Dhoni quit Test cricket after the third match of the series in Australia, which followed Kohli permanently taking over the reins in the longer format with his predecessor continuing in the tri-series and World Cup that followed.While it won’t be the first time that India’s Test captain, Kohli, will be playing under Dhoni in ODIs, it surely is the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket history as only once before has this happened when – for a brief period – Anil Kumble was the Test skipper and Dhoni continued in limited-overs cricket.In no way is this a suggestion that there’s anything bad in it, but considering some players, who are part of both Test and limited-overs set-up, will play under two different captains, they too may take time to get used to two different personalities.While Dhoni hardly gives out his emotions, Kohli makes sure that he and his players don’t just take it, but give it back equally hard – explicitly.Suggestions have been made that Kohli must learn from Dhoni, that how a captain needs to have a thick skin and should channel his aggression since he has to lead by example. And Kohli agrees, only partly though: “Why make comparisons? I am a different character. I am a different personality,” he had told ESPNcricinfo in a recent interview.”There is no point giving away what you are thinking to the opposition, who can gain unnecessary advantage. I understand that. One of the keys to being a good captain is not letting your emotions come on to your face when you are leading the side in the field. That is one of the most important things, which I want to improve on,” the Test captain had said.While it will be too much to expect a captain to better what Dhoni has achieved, all Kohli needs to do as of now is utilise the remaining time as Dhoni’s deputy to improve his captaincy skills before he goes on to lead India in all formats.
