It has not taken Virat Kohli very long to transition from a world cup winning U-19 captain to a regular for India in all forms of the game. He has established himself with grit, determination, and a demonstration of unusual cricketing maturity in one so young. At the international level he has played stunning innings in the shorter formats, and he has ground out important runs in the longer format after some initial struggles.
However Virat Kohli has a lot of growing up to do. And he must do that quickly if he is to play for his country's cricket team with dignity.
Virat got into a needless confrontation with his India teammate Gautam Gambhir in an IPL game a few days ago. Apparently Gambhir said something after Kohli was dismissed, and it irked Kohli enough that he got into an ugly brawl with Gambhir. It took a timely intervention from Rajat Bhatia to separate Kohli and Gambhir.
A few days later the Mumbai crowd tore into Kohli for what they saw as unsportsman like conduct from the Royal Challengers captain. Kohli responded with incredulity. He could not understand why he, an India star, got such treatment in an IPL game being played at an Indian venue. After all, wouldn't the crowd cheer for him if he were playing for India at the same venue? "The IPL is not the end of the world", Kohli went on to say.
I have a simple question for Kohli. If he were playing for India, would he have blown up in similar fashion at a teammate like Gambhir? And if IPL is not the end of the world, why did he make a fool of himself by reacting like he did when Gambhir had something to say to him in the heat of the moment? I suppose all is fair when Kohli is dishing it out, but those giving him grief must be villains, even if it happens in the IPL, which is "not the end of the world".
Virat must realize that he is a very good cricketer, not the conscience keeper of everyone around him. He needs to look at seniors like Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, and Kumble, and realize that what makes these gentlemen who they are is not just cricketing brilliance. These men have played the game with such dignity, grace, and humility that everyone would want their kids to follow them as role models.
Over the last one week I have gone from being a great admirer of Virat Kohli to one who doesn't care very much for him. Even if Kohli goes on to become the best Indian batsman ever, I certainly don't want my kids to grow up to be arrogant like him. I will be a bigger fan of a humble and less successful cricketer than a haughty and wildly successful Virat Kohli any day.
Grow up Virat. The Bangalore brawl perhaps cost you a friendship. The Mumbai outburst certainly cost you a lot of fan following. If you carry on like this, it might jeopardize something bigger - your legacy. Cricket has given you a lot. Stop taking it for granted.
8 comments:
Couldn't agree with you more. But then I wonder, is it just Virat - or is it the current crop who are being brought up to believe that SUCCESS is all that matters, at any cost!
Society has a role to play in shaping people - I will certainly play my part by disapproving Virat's behavior and also in disagreeing with the belief that some may have that success is the ONLY thing matters.
Couldn't agree with you more. But then I wonder, is it just Virat - or is it the current crop who are being brought up to believe that SUCCESS is all that matters, at any cost!
Society has a role to play in shaping people - I will certainly play my part by disapproving Virat's behavior and also in disagreeing with the belief that some may have that success is the ONLY thing matters.
Good point Ravi, but I believe that not everyone from the new generation is necessarily arrogant. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, and Ajinkya Rahane appear to have mature heads on their shoulders. Kohli has become a poster boy due to his rapid success and undeniable ability and that appears to have gone to his head. By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed watching gentleman Dravid put one over Kohli in the IPL tonight!
Ditto.
Certainly Kohli's recent behaviour and overall demeanour is excellent fuel for a debate. Watching the coverage of the IPL in the UK, there are many here that find his so called fiesty spirit a good thing. For many years Indian cricketers were considered 'too nice' and gentlemanly to be taken seriously at international level. Ganguly was one person who started to change the perception of how an Indian cricketer should behave and he too had many a famous spat with the opposition. As an outsider, I'd say some current Indian players, and Gambhir, is no saint either, play up to the publicity and media coverage they get. Personally my kind of cricket personality is the one that the likes of Michael Hussey and Graham Thorpe have and used to have. Quietly determined but very competitive. Perhaps the best role model for young Indian cricketers should be MS Dhoni - someone who fiercly wants to win, is gracious towards the opposition, yet scathing of his own and team's deficiencies. KING COOL !!!
Vivek, I am with you. I like the new found aggression among the Indian cricketers, and have written some posts specifically about that. I love the aggression shown by Kohli, Gambhir, Harbhajan, and others, especially when they give it back to the Aussies. My problem with Virat is not the aggression, but the hypocrisy. The guy has no hesitation bawling at his ex-Indian teammate Gautam Gambhir, but starts crying when the crowd in Mumbai boos him. And what is his defense? That he did not break any laws when he ran the guy out. Question to Virat Kohli - Did the spectators break any laws when they booed him?
Nitin, I understand what you're saying. I think we're at a situation where Kohli currently tends to cross that line from being fiesty to being petulant and maybe suffering from a 'spoilt brat' syndrome. I still blame the media for giving him that syndrome or certainly giving him the platform to play up to it. Perhaps modern day Indian cricketers are becoming like European footballers ?? Somebody hopefully will sit down with Kohli, explain the 'error of his ways' and get him to channel that fiesty spirit in the right manner. I was amused when watching the game yesterday between the Royal challengers and Kings XI Punjab. Kohli has a go at the bowler for conceding a boundary and then has to eat humble pie by dropping a sitter the very next ball !!! Certainly he has a long way to go to match the class and poise of MSD.
Vivek, I agree with you totally. Certainly couldn't have said it better myself!
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