Unleashed! Ravi Shastri slams Virat Kohli critics, compares him to Imran Khan

Mumbai: After slamming the Indian cricket team’s critics following the team’s arrival from South Africa, Team India coach Ravi Shastri has now hit out at those who questioned skipper Virat Kohli’s attitude.

While Kohli was the leading run-getter during India’s 1-2 Test series defeat and 5-1 ODI series triumph against the Proteas, there were several former cricketers who had criticised Kohli.

"My only advice to them is to mind their own business. I will keep it very simple. Whoever is saying that, mind your own business. Let us get on with our job,” Shastri told Anandabazar Patrika.

"I think he is absolutely fine. If there was a problem, the umpires are there. The match-referee is there to sort it out. What are they there for? He is hardly been called by the match-referee for going over the top in his career. So where is the problem?", added Shastri.

Shastri then went on to compare Kohli with former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan. Under Imran’s inspirational leadership, Pakistan cricket team made a stunning turnaround to win their maiden World Cup title in 1992 in Australia.

"It's still early days for Virat. He is still very very young. But he is already there among the very best. He wants to lead by example. He reminds me a lot of Imran. He is still very young but he has got a lot of qualities that Imran had when it came to leading a side. Which is great," said Shastri.

"Just the ability to always want to dominate, want to compete, irrespective of whatever conditions you get, believe that you can do it and when you have that kind of quality it spreads among the other players as well. And that was very similar to the way Imran led," added the Indian cricket team coach, who has time and again lauded Kohli for his captaincy, attitude and the run-scoring ability.

While India lost the three-match Test series against Faf du Plessis and co, he was the leading run-getter in Test series, with 286 runs against his name. If that was not enough, Kohli broke multiple record as he amassed 558 runs in the six-match ODI series that followed Tests.

"I think he was fantastic on the last trip. It was a tough trip. When you are the leading batsman in the side plus the captain, plus the conditions you get, plus the side that you are playing which is formidable, you need to be on top of your game,” Shastri said of Kohli.

"Mentally and physically. And he did just that. For someone to score 870-plus score on a single tour in two months, is an unbelievable achievement. Really unbelievable achievement," concluded Shastri.

While Shastri is with the Indian team in Sri Lanka for the 2018 Nidahas Trophy T20 tri-series, Kohli has opted for a break.