Virat Kohli on Saturday referred to the trolling of Ravi Shastri as “agenda driven”, saying the India coach is least affected by the perception because he is the captain’s yes man. He further shared many things as well.
“I think most of these things are agenda driven and I don’t know whose, why, what for, but to accept lies in that manner, it couldn’t be anything but agenda driven,” Kohli told India Today on its special show ‘Inspiration’. “… In Ravi bhai’s case, luckily, he is a person that doesn’t care at all.”
Having started as a slow left-arm spinner, Ravi Shastri opened the innings for India and also won the famous ‘Champion of the Champions’ Award in the 1985 World Series Cricket.
“(Promoted from) number 10 to opener and got an average of 41 as an opener, he is not going to be bothered about someone sitting at home and trolling him, because if you want to troll a guy who has done that, then get up, face those bowlers, do what he has done, have the clarity to do it, have the courage to do it, then have a debate with that guy,” Kohli shared. “He is absolutely chilled out, he says our only focus is how we can be the best team of all time. I think these petty things on the outside, they don’t matter at all to him.”
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After the successful Bangladesh Test series recently, Kohli said his pace attack is a “dream combination” that can torment any opposition on any kind of surface.
“There is no jealousy at all and that is their biggest strength, they don’t care whether Shami is at 7 now or Jassi is at whatever ranking he is or Ishant,” Kohli said. “I think full credit has to go to them to these guys that they have been able to create this aura around them because of that friendship that belief and the intent being in the right place.”
Apart from Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli’s other favourite sportsperson is Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I think Cristiano Ronaldo because I like the fact that is targeted on a daily basis but he has the mental strength, the will to work hard and the desire to keep coming back. For me those things matter more than someone having absolute unreal natural ability, which is (Lionel) Messi, so I am in awe of Ronaldo.”
“Well I don’t know how to explain it I mean I just hate losing. Basically I hate losing in anything, that is how a sportsman is made up, that is the makeup of any sportsman competing at the highest level,” he said.
“I don’t want any maybe, I don’t what any ifs, when I walk on to that field it is an honour for me, and when I walk out I want to have zero energy left. I’m actually always trying to avoid that feeling and that’s why I go along about my work in a crazy manner. I just have to put all my effort into every ball that I play, field or I am a part of,” Virat Kohli concluded.
