Virat Kohli’s warning to critics: If you poke at India, we will give it back | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Virat Kohli’s warning to critics: If you poke at India, we will give it back

Hindustan Times | By
Mar 28, 2017 04:05 PM IST

Virat Kohli said that he and his Indian cricket team will never step back from challenges and would give it back to critics in their own style. India defeated Australia by eight wickets in Dharamsala to win the four-Test series 2-1.

Virat Kohli was the centre of attraction throughout the India-Australia Test series. The Indian cricket team captain was not only prime target of the Australian players on the field, but was also the victim off-field banter by former players from Down Under. (India vs Australia - DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS)

Virat Kohli-led Indian Cricket Team finished as world No. 1 after defeating Australia in a four-Test series 2-1. They won by eight wickets in Dharamsala.(AFP)
Virat Kohli-led Indian Cricket Team finished as world No. 1 after defeating Australia in a four-Test series 2-1. They won by eight wickets in Dharamsala.(AFP)

From being compared with animals (read – snake) to being labelled a cheater for wanting a suitable batting track, several allegations were hurled at the Indian captain in an attempt to unnerve him. (India vs Australia - DAY 4 SCORECARD)

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But Kohli said that he and his team will never step back from challenges and would give it back just as well as they received.

“This team is not going to back down, that’s for sure. I’ve heard a wise person say very nicely, ‘When someone’s down, the weak come out and start talking about that person’. It takes courage to speak about someone when they are on top. And this team, regardless of whether we are on top or not, we speak,” he said.

“If something pokes us, we speak about it and we give it right back. A lot of people don’t digest it well. We take it very well and give it back even better.

It could be assumed that Kohli was alluding to the on-field spat between Ravindra Jadeja and Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade during the fourth Test. Jadeja admitted to being spurred on by words sledging and opted to have his bat do the talking.

Controversy-mongers

Kohli went on to express how detractors will always find reason to criticise but that his team was determined to focus on their task at hand.

“Some people want to create some spice sitting on one part in the world. They have all gone through these kind of situations themselves. But the easiest thing to do is sit at home, write a blog or speak on the mic and get down with it. To come out there and bowl or bat is a different case altogether. When they know they don’t have a chance at completion, it is very easy to speak and get away with it,” he said.

“This team doesn’t take a backward step away from anyone. We are honest in out preparations and our hard work, so we have no explanations left to give anyone in the world. What matters to us is what we do in the changing room and outside that door, whatever someone says is none of our concern.”

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