However much he disliked addressing the media during his captaincy years, Mohammed Azharuddin was spot on in criticising Kohli for not addressing the media after the appalling loss to NZ in Dubai last Sunday
Virat Kohli at a press conference in Sydney in 2020. Pic/Getty Images
A look-who’s-talking WhatsApp message landed up. It referred to Mohammed Azharuddin slamming Virat Kohli for not attending the post-match India v New Zealand press conference on Sunday night.
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The sender remembered how Azharuddin once tucked into his sandwich as he addressed the media. That’s true and I was there when it happened—at the Cooch Behar Room of the Cricket Club of India—during the pre-New Zealand tour media briefing in 1999. I remember the same fellow journalist, who sent the WhatsApp message, telling then coach Anshuman Gaekwad that his captain should finish eating his sandwich before taking questions. I also recall being told that Azharuddin once clipped his toenails as he addressed the media.
It’s probably safe to assume that the Hyderbadi batting stylist didn’t enjoy turning up at press conferences during his long stint as India captain (1990 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999). However, Azharuddin was right about Kohli not playing down the right line when it came to appearing before the media.
Sure, the troubled India captain said after the eight-wicket loss to the Kiwis that his team were not brave enough while tackling the spirited New Zealanders in Dubai. But that was at the post-match presentation, which is different from a press conference, where the arrows are more pointed and the person behind the microphone has to answer some tough questions. Silly ones too, I must add; the prime example being the one suggesting that he should have dropped Rohit Sharma to play Ishan Kishan against Pakistan on October 24.
Kohli was justified in displaying his displeasure over the daft question and to get an ill-crafted, illogical and inane one immediately after a defeat to Pakistan must have been annoying in the extreme.
That said, Kohli should have turned up after the loss to New Zealand. There was much to explain. For starters, the public (through a question from the media) would have got to know why the Indian team did not take the knee like they did in the opening game.
A lot of things in Indian cricket go unanswered and it is hoped that an explanation be forthcoming. Until then, are we to assume that not everyone in the team wants to support the Black Lives Matter/any anti-racism movement or were they asked to do it by the ICC only for the first match of the tournament?
To send Jasprit Bumrah to deal with the media after the eight-wicket loss to New Zealand bordered on the bizarre. If Kohli was in no mood to address the media, why wasn’t vice-captain Rohit Sharma sent? Or head coach Ravi Shastri for that matter? The explanation of why Rohit had to drop down to No.3 to make way for his Mumbai Indians teammate Ishan Kishan was provided by batting coach Vikram Rathour two days after the game against New Zealand. This could have been done by the man himself (since Kohli chose not to meet the press) on Sunday night.
Azharuddin was spot on while speaking to ABP news: “There is no shame in losing. But you need to come and speak up. That is the right thing to do. People will listen to you and at least get to know the reason behind the loss. There is a difference between Bumrah speaking or a coach/captain speaking.
“It is important to face the public. You will have to face the nation and come and speak. If you don’t come, what will people think? Needless rumours are going to be spread.”
Kohli earned high praise for the manner in which he spoke up for his fast bowler Mohammed Shami a day before the New Zealand battle. His statement made it to the non-sports pages of leading newspapers. “The clarity of Kohli’s statement, its refusal to duck behind pieties and euphemisms, has enormous significance. While former cricketers had sought to defend Shami by excusing a rare ‘off day’, they chose to elide the communal nature of the abuse Shami faced,” said The Indian Express in its Editorial. Cynics, though, felt Kohli played it late and he could have tweeted his displeasure when the abuse started gaining momentum. Also, Kohli reacted to a question on the trolls and it’s not that he turned up and reacted before the Q and A session.
Whether there is merit in that view or not, Kohli spoke from the heart. And what must have pleased the scribes at the press conference was how he continued spewing venom on the issue despite the BCCI media manager thwarting another question on the subject.
Considering the plaudits Kohli attracted through his tough talk, he should do more press conferences—win or lose.
mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper
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