Virat Kohli is Indian Cricket's latest Bad Boy
Delhi has a remarkable quality in that it’s residents are uniformly disliked or at least distrusted in most other cities. It is believed that most Delhi-ites are brash, arrogant ever so ready to pick a fight and never back down from one. This behaviour is somewhat atypical of indians in general. Doing the right thing and saying the right words has a high premium in this country. It’s ironic therefore that a Delhi boy embodying most of the above characteristics is now the heartthrob of the nation.
Cricket connoisseurs are talking about his exquisite cover drive and supple wrists, talk of over confidence and ‘ fame going to his head’ have been replaced by swagger and fighting spirit!! So what is it that has changed overnight? Certainly his talent was apparent long before his masterclass against Sri Lanka, after all it was his 9th hundred in ODI s in addition to his maiden Test century at Adelaide. He also dazzled in the IPL which for all it’s maligned for remains by far the highest quality t20 tournament on the planet.
He will continue to pick fights through his career, with opposition players, crowds and umpires I am sure, but this may not necessarily be a bad thing. After all sourav ganguly too had a way of getting under the skin of the opposition. Ganguly was also the cricketer who Steve Waugh credited with putting steel into the indian cricket team. Sunil Gavasker also deserves a mention in the bad boy fighter club of Indian cricket. His feat of almost dragging Chetan Chauhan off the field in Australia is legendary.. He too displayed the same willingness to slug it out in the middle. Harbhajan Singh can consider himself a lifetime member of this club too!! Forget Symonds, think Shoaib Akhtar and the Asia cup finals!! That set the pulse racing!!
Virat Kohli, in his career till now has shown all the qualities of a fighter. He is combustible, will give you everything on the field , and may just cause a controversial incident or two!! So what?? As long as he manages to use that anger and channel it through his bat, I say let him be provoked. Who knows what result we might get? Could Andrew Flintoff have imagined Yuvraj would smash six sixes following his verbal provocation??
All the indian cricketers mentioned above have another common thing between them. They have rabid fans. Fans who love them as much for their attitude as for their cricket.The common man in india is bullied by the system at every step of life. It is this very quality of virat kohl to not be bullied, to never back down, in a team that is often guilty of not being ruthless enough, that will make him be adored by millions.
Virat Kohli.. The latest addition go the club of bad boys of Indian cricket. Welcome..
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