Watch: "Jo dusre No. 18 ne..." - Smriti Mandhana's graceful response to Virat Kohli comparisons steals spotlight

India Women’s team batsman Smriti Mandhana declined all the comparisons between her and Indian Men’s team batting stalwart Virat Kohli after the former helped RCB claim their first major silverware. Mandhana, who wears jersey no. 18 just like Kohli, made this claim while speaking to PTI recently after an event following her side’s WPL season 2 win.

During that interaction, Smriti Mandhana was asked to draw comparisons with Virat Kohli as both are top-order batters, play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and are key players of the Indian national team. On Sunday, Mandhana became the first RCB captain to win the coveted Premier League trophy in only her second attempt while Kohli hasn’t won a single since 2008.

Mandhana says what Virat Kohli has done “can never” be done before

In response to the press reporter’s question, Smriti Mandhana stated that regardless of her winning the WPL title before Virat Kohli won the IPL, doesn’t take anything away from what he has done in his career. Mandhana claimed that comparison is not the right thing to do especially when it is someone like Kohli and that her career has panned out differently than the former India captain.

Mandhana further claimed that Virat Kohli is an inspirational figure for her, and that title wins do not define anything as it is the greatness that defines a player. She also appealed that there should be plenty of respect for Kohli in the Indian cricketing fraternity and the 36-year-old should be right on the top.

“Title is one thing, but what the other No. 18 has acheived for India is a very big thing. So, I don’t think that comparison is right in terms of where my career is and what he has already achieved. So I don’t like comparisons because what he has achieved in his career has been really great.”

“He has been a really inspirational person. The title doesn’t define a lot of things. And we all respect him, and I feel like the respect in Indian cricket has to be there, right up there for Virat. So there is nothing different for me as well,” Smriti Mandhana said via PTI.

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Then she shed light on the similarity between her and Kohli’s 18 jersey number. To that, Mandhana stated that it’s absolutely nothing but some mere comparison created by the media without knowing that her date of birth is actually 18 and that choosing a jersey number is solely a personal choice.

Smriti Mandhana highlights their different style of plays

She claimed that Virat Kohli plays his cricket differently and she plays her cricket differently but the former is indeed an inspiration for a lot of us in many aspects other than the game of cricket.

“So, I would not really term it of any 18-18, really nothing. Its an inspiration; the jersey number is just a personal choice. It doesn’t define. My birthdate is 18 and that’s why I have 18 on my back. it doesn’t really define how he plays his cricket or how I play cricket. He has been an inspiration for us in a lot of aspects, so I would really say that title should not define anything,” Mandhana concluded.