Former Indian Captain Kapil Dev has criticized Virat Kohli for his post-match comments after India’s loss to New Zealand at the T20 world cup on Sunday. Kohli had said that the Indian players were not brave enough with the bat or ball in the post match presentation ceremony. Kapil Dev had termed Kohli’s statement that the Indian players were not brave enough as weak and said that the head coach Ravi Shastri and mentor MS Dhoni should uplift the team in these difficult times.
Virat Kohli said, “Quite bizarre. To be very honest and brutal up front, I don’t think we were brave enough with bat or ball”. Kapil Dev then said that this was unexpected of Kohli to make such a weak statement.
Kapil Dev told ABP news, “For a big player like him, it is a very weak statement. If that is the kind of body language the team has and if that is kind of thought process the captain has, it is really tough to lift the team. I felt a little strange hearing those words. He isn’t that kind of a player,” and added, “He is a fighter. I think he got lost in the moment or something. A captain should not say words like ‘we were not brave enough’. You are playing for your country and he has the passion. But when you say such words, fingers will definitely be pointed.”
India suffered two consecutive losses at the T20 World Cup going on in the UAE. The cricket fans in India were shocked and disappointed after India lost by eight wickets to New Zealand with the chances of India qualifying for the semi-finals looking almost impossible. Kapil Dev justified the criticism faced by the Indian cricket team. About India’s chances of qualification to the next stage, he said, “If we have to go through based on somebody else’s performance, then I don’t like it. If you have to be in the semis, do it on your own merit. I don’t think it is a good idea to place your hopes on anyone else.”
The Indian cricket team has received great criticism recently after the two defeats and Virat Kohli has been at the receiving end of it even before the tournament began. The Indian captain was criticised when he had announced that he would give ‘personal tips’ on how to celebrate a ‘meaningful Diwali’ for a promotional campaign which did not sit well with people on social media.