BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar shared that Virat Kohli’s fitness program on Indian cricket has a pervasive influence. Describing MS Dhoni as an instinctive player in a sport deeply entrenched in data analytics, Agarkar added that Kohli’s unmatched ability, despite being 35 years old, to excel in the most demanding fitness routines made headlines.

“You look at guys like Virat (Kohli), he is one of those guys who set the benchmark. 10-15 years into his career, he has only got fitter, you can see the results. If someone like him sets an example and puts forward certain things that you need or certain fitness levels that you need, gradually it progresses across the ecosystem. Gradually it has progressed (to the younger generation). The one difference you have seen over the last 15-20 years or so is the fitness levels of players,” said Agarkar on SportifywithPRG.

However, Virat Kohli has been in great form in the ongoing season, adding to his record with an eighth century in IPL’s history recently as well. Kohli also scored more runs with 316 runs from five games. Meanwhile, MS Dhoni’s intuitive leadership has led to five IPL titles as well despite stepping down as captain of the Chennai Super Kings.

“The amount of data that’s available, is incredible. You can plan a whole innings and I think everybody does it now, but it doesn’t mean it will work all the time. You need a captain on the ground because not everything that you’ve planned is going to go your way. On a particular day it might, but most days it won’t. And that’s where you need human instinct. That’s why you call MS Dhoni a great captain because he had a feel for the game. He knew what was happening and how the game was changing,” opined the former India pace bowler.

Meanwhile, Ajit Agarkar also stated that the IPL had become an excellent platform for young talent as well. Agarkar believes that a tight-knit team is more likely to win as well.

“You can see it, (IPL) keeps throwing up players out of the blue. Having been a selector for a few months, there are certain players who suddenly come and show even on the big stage. IPL is a fairly big stage because of the pressures involved, big crowds. You might be bowling to the top batters in the world, or you might be facing one of the top bowlers in the world, and that’s when you stand up and that’s where you judge the temperament of a player, whether he can do it consistently,” said Agarkar.

“It’s sometimes a difficult task because of the sheer numbers (of players coming through the domestic structure) that we have. But, eventually, the more you watch players and temperament sometimes separates it,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “A tight-knit group generally helps. You don’t need to be the best friends but you want to enjoy each others’ success. If that doesn’t happen sometimes it is a bit difficult.”