Virat Kohli hurt over negative remarks

India’s Test captain Virat Kohli is unhappy that some of the former international cricketers have run down the team despite their comprehensive 3-0 win against South Africa in the recently concluded Test series.

Kohli is “hurt” that some of the former players, who have not even played for the country, give their opinion on international cricketers.

With Mohali and Nagpur Test matches on spin-friendly tracks ending inside three days, Kohli is certainly not amused with the kind of response he has got from former players, who have now become media pundits.

“It obviously hurts when people who have played the game themselves make such comments. I am not saying all of them do it. Some of them understand the mindset of the players, having gone through similar situations in their careers. They lend you support, say the right thing and even help you with certain technicalities. But some people like to focus on the negatives. It feels bad as an Indian cricketer,” Kohli told bcci.tv.

He did pull back any punches while being critical of these former stars without naming anyone.“Growing up, you have looked up to these people and when you hear such comments from them you lose a bit of respect for them. It would be more respectful of them to come up and speak to a player individually if they feel there is some flaw that needs to be corrected,” the skipper was forthright with what he felt about the comments.

Kohli found it difficult to fathom as to how some former first-class cricketers who never played for the country made adverse remarks. “And someone who hasn’t played for the country has no right in anyway to comment on an international cricketer. I don’t think that has any kind of logic.”