'Virat Kohli never says anything negative' - Shashank Singh on batter's humble nature amid criticism from Amit Mishra

Published - 16 Jul 2024, 09:42 PM | Updated - 24 Aug 2024, 05:52 AM

Virat Kohli, Shashank Singh
Virat Kohli, Shashank Singh (Credits: X)

Punjab Kings star Shashank Singh has heaped praise on batting stalwart Virat Kohli, hailing him for his down-to-earth nature and positive attitude.

The right-handed batsman had the opportunity to talk to the Indian batting superstar during this year's Indian Premier League. Shashank Singh himself enjoyed a stellar season with the bat and was one of the very few positives for Punjab Kings in an otherwise yet another disappointing campaign.

He finished the season as Punjab Kings' highest run-scorer. In 14 games, Shashank Singh scored 354 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 164.65. He was also instrumental with the bat when Punjab Kings chased down the highest-ever T20 target of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders, smashing an unbeaten 68 from just 28 balls.

Shashank Singh on Virat Kohli:

During the IPL, Shashank Singh got the chance to talk to Virat Kohli and was blown away by the former India captain's humility and positivity. In a recent interview, the Chhattisgarh star revealed that he and Kohli talked for 40 minutes. He revealed that he and Kohli talked about the game, batting technique as well as mental chatter.

"He was standing, I was standing. We were standing for 40 minutes. I didn't even know when 40 minutes passed," Shashank Singh told InsideSport.

"Our team position was 12:45. It was 12:40, I didn't know when 40 minutes passed. And we were talking about cricket, about technique, about shots, about mental chatter.

And the way he was answering, it felt like, keep doing it, keep doing it. It felt like, he is one of our Chhattisgarh players. He was so friendly, talking to me to help me understand. It felt so good to talk to him," he added.

Speaking further, Shashank Singh said that Kohli also spoke to him about how to train and work on batting. He concluded by heaping praise on the former India captain for his positive attitude.

"He told me how to take a video, what to do next, how to work on things. He gave me a lot of confidence. Once I talk to him, I realize that he never says anything negative. He is always positive," said Shashank Singh.

Like Shashank, Kohli had also enjoyed a brilliant campaign in IPL 2024. He finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer, smashing an impressive 705 runs with the help of a century and five fifties. Last month, Kohli also helped India win the T20 World Cup by starring with the bat in the final.