India's most angry young man

The Indian skipper is fast gaining the reputation of being the angry young man. It doesn’t seem to matter to him if his team is winning or losing so long as he is able to go through a gamut of emotions on the field. He is also getting under the Australians’ skin in the tightly fought Test series.

For a long time the Aussies were the No.1 bad boys of cricket. They behaved badly even as they won a lot. They browbeat opponents into submission and the cricket world was so angry with them that they were labelled the ‘Ugly Aussies.’

What critics, including the outspoken actor Naseeruddin Shah, are asking is if it is alright for an Indian captain to behave like this after we made such an issue about the aggressive Aussies getting away with murder by way of obnoxious behaviour on the field in the days just gone by.

Kohli feeds on aggression, but often letting it descend into aggravating opponents in the manner in which he sends off dismissed batsmen or celebrates the taking of wickets by his bowlers. Those speaking in his defence say he has never crossed the line in bad language and that he is only giving back as good as Indians used to get.

Public opinion is certain to be divided. After all, he is the best performing batsman in world cricket today and his Test team is the highest ranked. While some appreciate his batting deeds and forgive his excesses, others are less charitable. They don’t believe Indians have to behave like this.

Bishan Bedi @BishanBedi
Just thinking..& chuckling to myself...had @imVkohli played in ‘our’ times..& behaved similarly..he would have ended up facing more ‘inquiry’ Committees than I ever did.!!Even so it’s never too late to be respectful to Cricket which has made him what he is today — Think it over..

Sanjay Manjrekar @sanjaymanjrekar
What’s the difference between Virat of today and Virat of 4 years back. It’s the mind. His mind is a lot greater today than it was 4 years back. He is achieving even greater heights in tough conditions because he has been able to put mind over matter. #ViratKohli

Navneet @iamrealnavneet
Wen d Aussies did it it was fine but if a Indian does it it’s disrespectful...
hypocrites

pinning@ TazSpinZone
Match referee needs to look at KOHLI when he tried to obstruct TIM PAINE while running and also gets too close to PAINE. Banter wasn’t over the top, but KOHLI lost control a bit getting too much in the face physically.

Steve Hocking@skippersteve86
It was ugly when Warner did it. It’s ugly when Virat does it. Simple really. The chatter in the field is one thing, but it can get excessive and we have seen Warner do it for ages and the Australian public loathes him for it. Kohli will get the same disdain if he continues

SukumarC@SukumarC13
The most ill behaved cricketer full of arrogance and vanity. Even the Australian commentators like Border and Hussey condemned his attitude. Surprisingly no indian media has rebuked him so far and no commentators. Where is the great gavaskar? Finds fault with everyone.

sunny samanta@sammydict
Stop judging his character and start enjoying his game more. It his character on field that’s an integral part of what he has achieved so far. Not to mention, him taking the mind games to oppositions in a dominant fashion & saving a lot of others from being bullied on field

Ashish Ranjan @Ashish Ranjan222
His conduct is bringing bad name to India. We never behaved like this. Seems, he is least bothered to carry forward the gentleman culture that we were known for. Earlier, people used to take pride in calling it a gentleman’s man. I don’t hear this anymore

Koena Mitra@koenamitra
A forever frustated man who had signed “mercy petition” for Terrorist Yakub Memon....has crowned #ViratKohli as World’s Worst Behaved Player. Whatta slayer !!! #ViratKohli #IndiasPride

Pallavi@pallzie
Sometimes Virat overdoes with his aggression bt he’s not as disrespectful or silly as Aussies were sometime back or may be you guyz just not digest the taste of ur own medicine & I respect ur opinion as if you never been aggressive in your career

Master@Ram112018
Why this brat #ViratKohli is so arrogant? He is behaving like AUS. Let ur bat talk no need to get into such things. Virat Kohli, u r just pathetic sportsman. What kind of example u r setting 4 youngsters to becm good sportsperson. U score 200 100s but u will never gain respect

A Patriot@GodsOwnChild007
Naseeruddin Shah says Virat Kohli is the world’s most worst behaved player. He has no thoughts about behaviour when he signed the mercy plea for 26/11 terrorist AJMAL KASAB?

Makarand Waingankar@wmakarand
Totally agree. For lesser’ crimes’ players were penalised. Urgent AGM was convened by BCCI President to drop you for the 1st Test against WI in 1974. Kohli must be told this game is a great leveller

Greg Davis @GregDavis_cmail
Kohli ran to the spot where Paine was naturally running through. It was a deliberate niggling action. He can’t help himself. If an Aussie behaved like this, they’d get crucified