Naveen-ul-Haq dragged as Virender Sehwag opens up on Virat Kohli's sportsmanship

Former Team India cricketer Virender Sehwag praised Virat Kohli for his influence both on and off the field amid the five-match Test series between India and England. Sehwag recalled key moments involving Kohli’s gestures towards Australian cricketer Steve Smith and Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq.

Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, just days after Rohit Sharma made the same decision. Kohli captained the team in 68 Tests and led them to 40 wins - the most by any Indian skipper. The 36-year-old struggled to score runs during the 2024/25 Test season with an average of 22.47.

Crowd Went from Booing to Cheering for Him - Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag stated that fans genuinely listen to and respond to Virat Kohli. Sehwag recalled how Kohli asked spectators to stop booing Steve Smith during his return from a ban, urging them to show respect instead.

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He also highlighted that Kohli intervened during the 2023 World Cup, when the crowd was jeering Naveen-ul-Haq. Kohli's gesture quickly turned the boos into applause. Sehwag said that Kohli’s presence and leadership extend beyond the game itself.

"You might remember when Steve Smith returned from his ban and the fans were booing him, it was Virat Kohli who asked the crowd not to boo but to appreciate him instead. The same thing happened with Naveen-ul-Haq during the 2023 World Cup, Virat stepped in, and within minutes, the crowd went from booing to cheering for him," he said in quotes that went viral on social media.

Virat Kohli Praised for Sportsmanship Towards Steve Smith and Naveen-ul-Haq

Virat Kohli earned widespread praise for defending Steve Smith during the 2019 World Cup. Smith, who was returning from a one-year ban following the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, was relentlessly booed by English crowds. Kohli gestured to the crowd to stop the jeering and instead applaud Smith.

Another notable incident involving Kohli occurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. After an IPL spat between Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq, tensions had flared online. However, they were seen exchanging smiles and shaking hands after the match between India and Afghanistan in Delhi.

Virat Kohli Has Seen Both Highs and Lows in His Test Career in England

Virat Kohli has seen both highs and lows in his Test career in England. He managed just 134 runs at a dismal average of 13.40 across five matches during his debut tour in 2014. However, he scored 593 runs in 2018 at an impressive average of 59.30, including two centuries.

However, India lost the series 1-4 under his leadership in 2018. Kohli captained India to a 2-1 lead in England in 2021 before the series was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rescheduled final Test ended in a loss in 2022 under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy.

Kohli scored 249 runs at an average of 27.66 during his last red-ball series in England. India are playing their first such series without Kohli since 2011.

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