Childhood coach says Kohli never crosses line between aggression and misbehaviour
Navi Mumbai: India captain Virat Kohli's chioldhood coach Rajkumar Sharma on Monday defended his ward's on-field demeanour, saying he never crossed the thin line between aggression and misbehaviour.
"When he (Kohli) is doing well with same aggression for the country, then everyone appreciates. I have always believed that yes, aggression is his strength, but there is a thin line between aggression and 'battamizi' (misbehaviour). He never crosses that line, and he should not. Aggression pumps him up to do well," Sharma told a group of reporters on the sidelines of a tournament here.
On day two of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, Kohli was animated as ever in his celebrations when home side captain Kane Williamson was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. Kohli also gestured to the crowd to keep quiet.
Asked if Kohli's behaviour stems from the frustration of the lean patch he is going through, Sharma said his ward is never affected by temporary issues. "Every player goes through a lean patch. There is something called law of averages in cricket. Maybe that has caught up with Kohli. There is nothing to worry. He is too good a player and he knows where he is going wrong. We have already discussed that. He will be back," the 54-year-old coach said.
The Indian captain has had a disastrous Test series, scoring just 38 runs in four innings. In the whole New Zealand tour, he scored 218 runs with a lone fifty. He had difficulty in playing seaming deliveries. But Sharma is not perturbed. "He is a magnificent player. In the upcoming (ODI) series (against South Africa), he will show what he is capable of," Sharma asserted.
When asked if a stint in English county would help Kohli to improve his game against moving ball, Sharma said, "First it was being said that he will not score runs in England. When he scored, then everyone said 'he plays swing bowling very well and he is a perfect player'."
"You cannot write off a player after two matches (Tests), that he cannot play swing bowling. It is a temporary phase and it will go away," Sharma said.
