Mumbai: Now that Team India has returned from South Africa, Indian Coach Ravi Shastri has slammed those who have questioned Virat’s attitude in the game.
Angry at former cricket player’s criticism, Ravi Shastri speaking to Anandbazar Patrika said “My only advice to them is to mind their own business. I will keep it very simple. Whoever is saying that, mind your own business. Let us get on with our job.”
“I think he is absolutely fine. If there was a problem, the umpires are there. The match-referee is there to sort it out. What are they there for? He is hardly been called by the match-referee for going over the top in his career. So where is the problem?” Shastri asked.
The Indian Coach further went on comparing Kohli with former Pakistan’s Skipper Imran Khan. He said, “It’s still early days for Virat. He is still very very young. But he is already there among the very best. He wants to lead by example. He reminds me a lot of Imran. He is still very young but he has got a lot of qualities that Imran had when it came to leading a side. Which is great.”
“Just the ability to always want to dominate, want to compete, irrespective of whatever conditions you get, believe that you can do it and when you have that kind of quality it spreads among the other players as well. And that was very similar to the way Imran led.”
Since Team India lost against Faf du Plessis and co in the three-match Test series, Kohli had 286 runs against his name and also broke multiple records as he gathered 558 runs in the six-match ODI series that followed Tests.
“I think he was fantastic on the last trip. It was a tough trip. When you are the leading batsman in the side plus the captain, plus the conditions you get, plus the side that you are playing which is formidable, you need to be on top of your game,” Shastri said.
“Mentally and physically. And he did just that. For someone to score 870-plus score on a single tour in two months, is an unbelievable achievement. Really unbelievable achievement,” Shastri concluded.