'There is a thin line between aggression and battamizi (misbehaviour). He never crosses that
line'
IMAGE: Captains Virat Kohli
and Kane Williamson embrace at the conclusion of the first Test between New
Zealand and India, at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Photograph: Hagen
Hopkins/Getty Images
India captain
Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma, on Monday, defended his ward's
on-field demeanour, saying he never crossed the thin line between aggression
and misbehaviour.
"When he
(Kohli) is doing well with same aggression for the country, then everyone
appreciates. I have always believed that yes, aggression is his strength, but
there is a thin line between aggression and battamizi (misbehaviour).
He never crosses that line, and he should not. Aggression pumps him up to do
well," Sharma told a group of reporters.
Sharma, the
coach of Bank of Baroda, was speaking on the sidelines of the DY Patil T20 Cup
being held in Navi Mumbai.
On day two of
the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, Kohli was animated as ever
in his celebrations when home side captain Kane Williamson was dismissed by
Jasprit Bumrah. Kohli also gestured the crowd to keep quiet.
Kohli is
going through a rare lean phase in his career, but Sharma is unperturbed and
feels that the Indian captain will bounce back. The Indian captain has had a
disastrous Test series, as he could amass just 38 runs in four innings. In the
whole New Zealand tour, he scored 218 runs with a lone fifty.
"Every
player goes though a lean patch. There is something called law of averages in
cricket. Maybe, that has caught up. There is nothing to worry. He is too good a
player and he knows where it is going wrong. We have already discussed that. He
will be back," the 54-year-old coach said.
"He is a
magnificent player. In the upcoming (ODI) series (against South Africa), he
will show what he is capable of," Sharma asserted.
Sharma said
that his ward was batting well but unfortunately was getting out.
"I keep
speaking to him a lot, and especially at a time like this, we talk even more.
He has been batting well, but is unfortunately getting out. We must credit the
New Zealand bowlers that they have laid a good trap, planned a good strategy
for all the Indian batsmen, not just him (Virat)," he said.
Virat Kohli
was having difficulty in playing seaming deliveries in New Zealand. Sharma,
though said, that one cannot judge a player by his performance in two matches.
To a question
on whether a stint in English county would help Kohli to improve his game
against moving ball, Sharma said, "First it was being said that he will
not score runs in England. When he scored runs there, then everyone said 'he
plays swing bowling very well and he is a perfect player'."
"So, as I said, a
(lean) patch comes and you cannot write off a player after two matches (Tests),
that he cannot play swing bowling. It is a temporary phase and it will go
away," Sharma signed off.