Pakistan former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has come to rescue Indian skipper Virat Kohli for what he has termed as “passion” and that it is an important part of the game.
Indian cricket sensation, Kohli, has received many denunciations or his heated conversation with his Australian counterpart Tim Paine during the second Test match in Perth.
Reportedly, Kohli called his Kangaroo counterpart a “stand-in captain”. Meanwhile, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) management has categorically denied the allegations.
Akhtar, who was better known by his appellation “Rawalpindi Express”, which referred to his birthplace, defended Kohli and tweeted that “Virat Kohli is one of the modern greats of the game. Aggression has been a part and parcel of competitive cricket, especially when you are playing Down Under as long as it stays in limit. Please cut him some slack”.
@imVkohli is one of the modern greats of the game. Aggression has been a part & parcel of competitive cricket, specially when you are playing Down Under as long as it stays in limit. Please cut him some slack.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) December 20, 2018
Apart of Akhtar, Former ace Australian captain Allan Border has also defended Kohli and said that “his antics might be over the top but the game needs characters who show passion”.
“I haven’t seen anyone sort of carry on so much as a captain when his side takes a wicket,” Border said in a Fox Sports podcast on Thursday.
“It’s really over the top but it’s good in a way. You can see some passion about what he’s trying to do,” he further added.
Following the match, which India lost by 146 runs, both the captains attempted to play down their on-field sledging, which was often picked up by stump microphones.
Kohli defended his on-field aggression and said that “as long as there is no swearing the line doesn’t get crossed. And no personal attacks”.
