Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has broken his silence on the reported rift between him and the vice-captain of the national team, Rohit Sharma. Calling the media reports ridiculous, Kohli said that there were no truth in the rumours of his differences with Sharma.
He told reporters, “If I don’t like a person or if I am insecure of a person, you will see that on my face or my behaviour towards that person and that’s how simple it is. I have always praised Rohit whenever I have had an opportunity because I believe he has been that good. We have had no issues. As I said it’s baffling.”
I have praised @ImRo45 whenever I have had an opportunity because he has been that good. We have had no issues. We are working towards getting Indian Cricket to the top: @imVkohli #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ijGqyKDxtS
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 29, 2019
His comments came days after it was reported that Sharma had unfollowed him and his actress wife Anushka Sharma on Instagram amidst rumours of a rift between the two since the World Cup competition, where India could not progress beyond the semi-final stage.
Kohli said, “I don’t know who’s benefiting from all of this, We here are living, breathing, working towards getting Indian Cricket to the top. Here some people want to get some kind of pleasure in bringing it down. I don’t understand how that works.”
It is baffling to read (reports of an alleged rift). We are feeding off lies, overlooking facts & turning a blind eye to all the good things that have happened. It is disrespectful: @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/gl9oPm8veE
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 29, 2019
Many reports had claimed that Kohli frequently made controversial decisions with regards to team selection without seeking Sharma’s inputs. But the Indian captain termed it ‘ridiculous.’ He said, “It’s ridiculous to read such stuff that comes out. I mean, I’ve been to a few public events and the public sentiments that I feel, everyone comes to me and say ‘what game you guys played.’ It is baffling to read (reports of an alleged rift). We are feeding off lies, overlooking facts & turning a blind eye to all the good things that have happened. It is disrespectful.”
Kohli said that both he and Sharma had played for India for 11 and 10 years respectively adding that lies were being presented as facts in a certain section of the Indian media.