Kohli Takes a Dig at Critics

A lot of people, including critics, have been questioning Virat Kohli’s performance, especially in T20 cricket. Some even say he shouldn’t be picked for the upcoming World Cup. But Kohli has been shutting them up with his powerful batting performances, this time against Punjab Kings. He scored 77 runs and helped his team win their first match of the season.

But the bat is not the only tool or weapon that Kohli uses to smoke his critics. Sometimes his words are enough, working like blades, silencing his doubters. During the post-match interview after his face-up against the Punjab Kings, Kohli hinted at the criticism by saying people only talk about stats and forget the joy of the game. He also said he’s still got the skills, even though some don’t think so.

 

Following the knock, commentator and presenter Harsha Bhogle quizzed him about his lofted drive over the covers and not just sticking to the one through the grass. Kohli said, “I mean you have to. They know, I play the cover drive pretty well so they are not going to allow me to hit gaps and with guys like KG [Kagiso Rabada] and Arshdeep [Singh] as well, he’s tall, so if they are hitting length you have to create momentum on the ball. Once you’re closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce that’s going to happen, you meet it earlier.”

 

“People talk about a lot of other things when you play sport – achievement, stats, numbers. But when you look back it’s the memories you create. The love, appreciation and backing I’ve received has been amazing“.

 

When the commentator mentioned how some suggest he’s just picked for promotion in countries where cricket isn’t popular, Kohli cleverly replied that he can play and doesn’t need to be picked just for marketing!

Kohli quickly took a dig at the ones who doubted his ability in the format even for once. “You have to come up with a game plan here or there and try to keep improving your game. I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But still got it, I guess! Just to feel normal for two months – for me, my family – it was a surreal experience. Couldn’t have been more grateful to God for the opportunity to spend time with the family. It’s an amazing experience to just be another person on the road and not be recognised. That’s the promise I can give here – I’ll keep turning up and keep trying me best.”

Kohli started the match strong, scoring most of his runs early on. He got out before finishing the game, but his teammates took over and won it for RCB.  Kohli got honored with an Orange Cap on Monday after the 77-run knock, with 47 runs still needed.

 

“I was very disappointed I could not finish the game; that ball was in the slot,” Kohli said after being named the Player of the Match. “But yeah, not a bad start for playing after two months and getting into the tournament.”

 

Talking about his mindset while batting, he said: “In T20 cricket, as I am opening here, I try to give the team a blazing start. But if the wickets fall from the other end, you have to understand the conditions as well. The wicket was not as placid as Bangalore usually is. It was a bit two-paced. And I thought I needed to play correct cricketing shots. Playing across the line was not quite working; I tried a few.”

Even though he’s disappointed he couldn’t finish, Kohli says he’s happy with his performance considering he hadn’t played in 2 months. He’s focused on helping his team win and making good memories, not personal achievements.