NEW DELHI: Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid reckons it will be a great opportunity for Virat Kohli to prove himself as a Test skipper in the first Test against Australia at Brisbane.

Kohli has been named the stand-in skipper for the Dec 4-8 series opener in Brisbane after regular captain M.S. Dhoni was ruled out due to an injury.

“Dhoni’s absence gives Virat the opportunity to show that he can lead differently,” Dravid said. “I still think it’s going to be Dhoni’s side, he has been announced captain.

“It’s just a nice opportunity for Virat and a great feeling, every time you get the opportunity to lead your country in a Test match, it’s a great thrill and Virat will really enjoy that.”

Kohli may have had a poor record on the tour to England earlier in the year. He managed only 134 runs in 10 innings over five Test matches. But the 26-year-old has bounced back well smashing a century and two fifties in the last six ODIs — played at home against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Kohli is seen by many as an obvious choice to take over the top job after Dhoni. He has proved his worth in the shorter format but it’s the first time that Kohli will captain India in a Test match.

Dravid said while the Delhi lad is an obvious choice to replace Dhoni, a lot will depend on his batting. Kohli scored a Test hundred in Australia — in Adelaide in 2012.

“I think he’s (Kohli) got a good cricket brain. From what we’ve seen a little bit in the IPL and ODI cricket, he’s willing to make things happen. He’s spent quite a bit of time learning from Dhoni. He’s been in the side for a while now. If he can bat well in Tests and have that certainty about himself as a player, then I have no doubt that he’s the obvious candidate to take over from Dhoni once he’s finished,” Dravid said.

Meanwhile, another former captain Sunil Gavaskar said Kohli should not be rushed into captaincy as long as Dhoni was willing to continue.

“We should not be in such a rush to promote Kohli as captain. As long as Dhoni wants to do the job, let him do it. Let us not put any pressure on either Virat or Mahi by suggesting such things [that this is Kohli’s Test as captain],” Gavaskar told NDTV.

Both Gavaskar and Dravid feel it will be unfair to judge Kohli’s captaincy skills after just one match.

“This is an opportunity for Virat but you don’t want to judge anyone after just one match. Virat will have his time but till then, every match he plays as vice-captain will be of great importance to him.”

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2014