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Batting maestro Virat Kohli's arrival in Colombo for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka wasn't without its disruptions. During a training session, a video emerged on social media, whose authenticity remains unverified, capturing chants of ‘Chokli, Chokli’ directed at Kohli as he practiced in the dressing room.
'Chokli Chokli' chants hurled at Virat Kohli
This derogatory term, a combination of Kohli's name and ‘choker’, is often used by trolls on social media to criticise the star batsman whenever he faces a setback with the bat. The video shows Kohli visibly turning his head towards the source of the chant, seemingly displeased by the taunts.
However, later it was found out that the video is fake and doctored.
Virat Kohli has joined the Indian team in Sri Lanka for the upcoming three-match ODI series. Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to play a crucial role under new head coach Gautam Gambhir as India kick-start their preparations for the Champions Trophy 2025. The series begins on August 2.
Virat Kohli silenced his critics with a match-winning performance in the T20 World Cup final. The star batsman played a crucial role in India's 176-run total against South Africa, stepping up when other key players struggled. His 76 runs off 59 balls were instrumental in securing India's 11-year-long wait for an ICC men's cricket trophy. Kohli was deservedly named Player of the Match for his heroics.
India enter the ODI series with a strong foundation after a clean sweep in the T20I format. The combination of Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir proved successful in their first assignment as India identified several positives within the young team.
Doctored video
Original video
A significant overhaul of the Indian squad is underway as the team transitions from T20I to ODI format. While Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who had retired from T20Is, make their return, players like Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson, integral to the T20I setup, are omitted from the ODI squad. This shift has led to a debate about the balance between youth and experience. While players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and Sanju Samson have shown immense promise, the team management has opted for a more experienced core with the ICC Champions Trophy in mind. However, the returning veterans will face stiff competition from the young talent, who have set a high benchmark.
India's ODI Squad
Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
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