Virat Kohli needs to set an example for teammates: Steve Waugh

All is well with the Indian cricket team in Zimbabwe under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Albeit against a struggling team like Zimbabwe, Kohli has led admirably, barring some odd flashes of aggression on the field. Kohli has been touted by many as the heir apparent to Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Australia legend Steve Waugh, though, says the dashing India star needs to work on his aggression if he has to be an inspirational leader for the Indian cricket team. (Also read: Sourav Ganguly disrespectful, was always late for toss, says Steve Waugh)

"Kohli needs to strike a balance between an aggressive captain and getting out of control at times. He is only young, youthful and exuberant and yes you want passion in your captain but at the same time he has to set an example and tone the aggression down a bit," said Waugh on Thursday, who was in Bangalore to promote his venture Sporting Edge Communities which helps in setting up academies to support cricket, tennis, swimming and athletics.

The former Australia skipper and 1999 World Cup winner feels Kohli is undergoing a learning phase as a leader. "Kohli is right now in a learning phase and there will be some leeway but at some stage he has got to set the standards and if he gets out of control on the field the other players will see that and it will be a little unsettling for the guys. So he has to find that balance, he definitely has the potential but at times he just needs to be a little bit more focused," he said.

Reacting to the debate who is better Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara, Waugh said that both iconic players are equal. However the 48-year-old did stress that Sachin's retirement from Test cricket is not far. "It (Sachin's retirement) is definitely close. He'll make that decision and he is smart enough when to call it quits. He won't outstay his welcome, his fans will always want to see him play. He'll surely know when his standards are dropping or maybe his motivational levels are decreasing or whether or not he should play a particular tour. So he has to judge that and take a call," Waugh concluded.