Following India’s veteran batsman Virat Kohli‘s response to criticism regarding his strike rate, former captain and renowned commentator Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his discontent and criticized Kohli’s stance.
During the match where RCB secured a victory against Gujarat Titans by four wickets, Gavaskar, while commentating, addressed Kohli’s statement. He questioned Kohli’s decision to respond to outside criticism despite claiming not to care about it, stating, “All these people say that we don’t care about outside noise. If so, then why are you responding to outside noise? We have also played a little bit of cricket, though not much. We have no agenda. We talk about what we see. We don’t care about anyone’s preferences. We only give our opinion on what is happening.”
Gavaskar further highlighted the discrepancy between Kohli’s strike rate of 118 and the praise he received, indicating a disconnect between perception and performance.
Kohli’s notable performance against Gujarat on April 28, where he scored an unbeaten 70 with six fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 159.09, prompted his response to critics. Kohli emphasized his focus on winning, stating, “People talk about my style of play and my struggles against spinners, but for me, winning is everything. This is the only reason to play for the last 15 years. Playing on the field and commentating from the commentary box are completely different situations. You want to win for your team. I’m just doing my job. That’s how I play. No matter what people say, I know my game well. People have their own opinions and prejudices. People who are working in the field 24 hours a day understand what is happening.”
