Two days after South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada ignited a war of words by calling Virat Kohli immature, West Indies stalwart Vivian Richards has come out in support of the Indian skipper.

Richards not only shut critics who questioned Kohli's attitude, but also said that Kohli reminds him of his own game. "I love guys like that. People talk about arrogance but it is about believing in yourself. It is like having the keys to your home, Virat has something similar now (know all the entry and exits). I had it in my time, he has it now,”

"I have always loved Indian batsmanship. The confidence he is blessed with you can't get that overnight. Either it's instilled in you or you are born with it. He is a fighter and defends his teammates more than anyone else,” he added at the Salaam Cricket 2019 event.

Rabada in an interview had said Kohli is a phenomenal player, but he can’t take abuse.

Referring to an incident that happened during the Indian Premier League, he said, “Virat hit me for a boundary and then he had a word. And then when you give it back to him, he gets angry. I don't get the guy. Maybe he does it because it gets him going, but that comes across as very immature for me. He is a phenomenal player but he can't take the abuse."

Disagreeing, Richards said it was not arrogance by Kohli, it’s just the way he plays.

“He fancies himself against anybody in the world and that I think is the right way to play. Every great player looks forward to being on the biggest stage and every such player wants to come out winning a cup. That's what Kohli has with him," Richards said.

India start their campaign in the 2019 World Cup on Wednesday against South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. While India will be playing their first game, South Africa come into the game having lost both their games so far in the showpiece event, against England and Bangladesh.

But South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has promised that the team will come back strongly against India in their third game of the World Cup.