Virat Kohli’s comments received widespread backlash from fans and critics alike. (File Photo)
Virat Kohli said that he is “all for freedom of choice” as the Indian captain responded for the first time after a video of him asking a critic to “go live somewhere else” for preferring “English and Australian batsmen” over Indians received widespread backlash. “I guess trolling isn’t for me guys, I’ll stick to getting trolled! I spoke about how ‘these Indians’ was mentioned in the comment and that’s all. I’m all for freedom of choice. Keep it light guys and enjoy the festive season. Love and peace to all,” said Kohli in a tweet on Thursday.
I guess trolling isn’t for me guys, I’ll stick to getting trolled! 😁
I spoke about how “these Indians” was mentioned in the comment and that’s all. I’m all for freedom of choice. 🙏 Keep it light guys and enjoy the festive season. Love and peace to all. ✌😊HOT DEALS— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) 8 November 2018
Kohli on Wednesday came under fire on social media for a promotional video recorded for his newly launched app — the Virat Kohli Official App. In the video, Kohli, who was responding to negative tweets, quoted a cricket fan saying: “Over-rated batsman and personally I see nothing special in his batting. I enjoy watching English and Australian batsmen more than these Indians.”
He then said, “Okay, I don’t think you should live in India then… you should go and live somewhere else, no? Why are you living in our country and loving other countries? I don’t mind you not liking me but I don’t think you should live in our country and like other things. Get your priorities right.”
His comments received widespread backlash from fans and critics alike, with many pointing out the various foreign brands that Kohli endorses and the numerous times he has expressed admiration for non-Indian sportspersons.
Widely rated as the best batsman in the world across formats, Kohli is the sole Indian in the Forbes magazine’s 2018 list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes. He is on a break from national duty after a highly successful ODI series against West Indies in which he scored 453 runs in five matches, including three centuries. He also became the fastest to 10,000 ODI runs in the series.