SA vs IND 2018: Former India Players Criticise Virat Kohli for Press Conference Outburst

Former India internationals Mohammad Azharuddin and Madan Lal have criticised Virat Kohli after the India skipper lost his cool during a heated press-conference following the loss in the second Test against South Africa in Centurion.

The 29-year old was at his combative best while addressing the media after India lost the second Test by 135 runs and conceded the series. The defeat brought an end to Kohli’s winning run as a skipper. Before this, India had not lost a series under Kohli, registering nine consecutive series wins including the 3-0 win over the Proteas at home in 2015.

But India was far from being impressive in the ongoing series, as the formidable hosts outplayed them in both the games. Kohli & Co. lost the series-opener by 72 runs before conceding the second match by 135 runs. Not surprisingly, the world number one Test side’s spectacular capitulation has surprised many and has also drawn widespread criticism.

However, Kohli seemed to be in no mood to take the criticism kindly, as he snapped on one of the journalists after the latter asked him about fielding the best possible playing XI and his team’s overseas record. A fuming Kohli was quick to remind the reporter of India’s track record under him and went on to say he had not attended the media gathering to fight with the scribe.

Well, Kohli’s conduct in the press-conference has not gone down too well with Azharuddin, and Madan Lal as both of them feel the India batting star should not have lost his cool while answering the reporter.

“A captain’s job is to defend his decision-making, and I believe this was the reason why he was defending himself and got agitated during the press conference. But getting angry over a reporter’s question was not at all correct. It is a reporter’s right to ask questions. If you like a question, you answer it, and if you don’t like it just don’t answer. Virat Kohli will have to understand how to handle the press when things are not going your way,” Azahar told Sports Tak.

On the other hand, Madan Lal said:

“Virat shouldn’t have lost his cool. This was nothing; more questions will be asked if India go on to lose the third Test. I feel it wasn’t India’s best XI that played in the Centurion Test.”

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