Virat Kohli has found a way to be in the news when he is not playing international cricket and not watching Rohit Sharma entertain crowds in his absence. Kohli, who seems to be taking or given breaks more than other stalwarts, is spending a brief holiday.What’s Kohli been doing? He has launched the Virat Kohli official app on his 30th birthday on Monday. It got the kind of launch he would have liked, taking on naughty fans. Needled by a fan, he wouldn’t let him off, telling him that those who don’t support the Indian team should not live in the country. Does that line sound familiar?
The India skipper was reacting to a fan who had said that he likes watching English and Australian batsmen rather than the “overrated” Indian. For good measure, Kohli verbatim repeated the tweet: “Over-rated batsman and personally I see nothing special in his batting. I enjoy watching English and Australian batsmen more than these Indians.”
Kohli’s response was as acetic. “Okay, I don’t think you should live in India then... you should go and live somewhere else no. Why are you living in our country and loving other countries? I don’t mind you not liking me but I don’t think you should live in our country and like other things. Get your priorities right.” Strong words from the captain.
That’s not the end of the banter. Kohli was reminded that non-resident Indians or people of Indian origin living overseas also cheer India and that he should ask them to support the Australians on India’s tour, starting next month, and not the Indians.One fan went further by insinuating that everybody in India wants to be worshipped blindly and what else to expect from “someone who regularly endorses Modi.” There have been other cheeky tweets but they are witty, not nutty.
While Kohli is learning how to engage his fans when he is free and relaxing, his actor wife Anushka Sharma has her own story about living with a celebrity husband, cryptically remarking that they are living in a house, but spend barely any time at home, whatever that may mean.That’s the beauty of tweeting, and wait for more exciting stuff from our captain and his star wife. They will have a lot to say from Australia, now that the wives and girlfriends are likely to be allowed a longer stay with their spouses and friends while on tour.
On the cricket front, South Africa and England tours are forgotten and everyone is talking about the way the India walloped West Indies and before that how they claimed the Asia Cup trophy. Rohit Sharma is making sure that Kohli is not missed much in the T20 series and has even overtaken him as India’s highest-scorer in the shortest format.
Pundits have started looking at Rohit as a strong leader as he made most of the opportunities he has gotten. He also never forgets to tell the world that he’s ready if and when the national selectors think of him as a full-time captain. Every captain has a stock line, that he is enjoying the job.The board or the selectors are not in a hurry to split the captaincy, not unless Kohli decides to stop playing the shortest format. His fitness will allow him to play all three. By the time he decides to take it easy, Rohit will have added a couple of years, making his fitness an issue.
Rohit’s problem is Test cricket and the tour of Australia will confirm whether he can play in all three formats like Kohli and pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah and possibly Kuldeep Yadav, now that Shikhar Dhawan is out of the Test squad.Ravindra Jadeja has fought back to play in all three formats and Australia could be a major turnaround for him if he can maintain his form.The fans are as excited as the players.(The writer is a veteran commentator and the views expressed are personal. He can be reached at sveturi@gmail.com)