Robin Uthappa blames 'honesty' for bitter fallout with Virat Kohli

Former India National Cricket Team batsman Robin Uthappa has stated that sharing blunt and honest views has impacted his relationship with the modern-day batting great Virat Kohli.

Uthappa made this revelation while opening up on his old comments on Virat Kohli, where he blamed the former skipper for ending India careers of Yuvraj Singh and Ambati Rayudu.

When Robin Uthappa made a strong statement on Virat Kohli

In an interview released on 'The Lallantop' YouTube channel on 12 January 2025, Uthappa made some sharp remarks on Virat Kohli that quickly went viral on social media platforms.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Robin Uthappa had said that when Yuvraj Singh, who beat cancer and won multiple World Cups for India, was trying to stage an India comeback under Virat Kohli's leadership, he was told "his lung capacity has diminished."

He had also said that maintaining a level of standard in the Indian team was good, but exceptions should have been made for a player like Yuvraj Singh.

While talking about the Ambati Rayudu case, Uthappa said that “If Virat dislikes anyone or he feels someone is not good then they are out." He had mentioned how Rayudu was not selected for the 2019 World Cup despite being in good shape and was wronged by then-India skipper Kohli.

In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat - Robin Uthappa

Speaking in a recent video shared on his official YouTube channel on September 1, Robin Uthappa revealed that his old comments impacted his relationship with Kohli.

Uthappa, who shared the dressing room with Kohli in the Indian team and RCB, said that his intent was not to speak about Kohli, and even when he shared his thoughts, he should have taken the India legend's sentiments into consideration.

Robin Uthappa also revealed that he personally spoke to Virat Kohli after the interview with Saurabh Dwivedi and issued an apology to him.

"In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat. That interview was meant to be about me. I was asked a question which I spoke to. I didn't take into consideration at that point the sentiments of Virat or the fact that even if this is what I believe, he should know what I believe and that gives me the right to voice that.

"My relationship with Virat was impacted by that. My learning from that was, when I spoke to him, that I should have spoken to him before," Robin Uthappa said.

I didn't speak about my experience with Virat - Robin Uthappa

While acknowledging his mistake, the former India batter said that he didn't speak about his experiences with Kohli or his leadership style; instead, he dropped remarks on other players' treatment. He said:

"I didn't speak about my experience with Virat. I spoke about what I saw one of my closest friends experience under his leadership. It wasn't even his leadership, it was the style of leadership.

"Everyone is entitled to have their own style, and everyone is entitled to have their opinion on that style. That was my learning that I should have spoken about it to him and that sensitivity we must extend to cricketers or people in the same fraternity."

Also Read: MS Dhoni’s loyalist declares Rohit Sharma a 'GOAT' captain: "Should play for next 10 years"