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India’s T20 World Cup 2007-winning member Robin Uthappa has expressed regret over his comments on Virat Kohli’s captaincy style during a podcast earlier this year. Uthappa had said that Kohli’s captaincy style was not inclusive and it would often be “my way or highway”. He indicated that Ambati Rayudu and Yuvraj Singh were victims of that approach. Months later, Uthappa feels that he should have talked to Kohli about it beforehand as it affected his relationship with the 36-year-old.
"In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat. That interview was meant to be about me. I was asked a question which I spoke to. I didn't take into consideration at that point the sentiments of Virat or the fact that even if this is what I believe, he should know what I believe and that gives me the right to voice that. My relationship or my camaraderie with Virat was impacted by that. I saw that for what it was, just based on that one-on-one relationship. My learning from that was, when I spoke to him about it, I acknowledged that I should have spoken to him before, even if it was what I believed," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
Uthappa said that he learned his lesson. He feels there is a need to be sensitive towards cricketers. Also, Kohli’s decisions as captain did not affect him but his close friends.
"I didn't speak about my experience with Virat. I spoke about what I saw one of my closest friends experience under his leadership. It wasn't even his leadership, it was the style of leadership. Everyone is entitled to have their own style of leadership, and everyone is entitled to have their opinion. I felt, at least for my relationship with him, I should have spoken to him about it before I spoke about it on national television. That was my learning from that, and I think that sensitivity we must extend to cricketers or people in the same fraternity," he added.
Kohli set to be in action next month
Meanwhile, Kohli has been out of action since Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win. Uthappa and Kohli had shared the RCB dressing room together as well during the early days.
Kohli is set to return to the international arena next month during India’s white-ball tour of Australia, including a three-ODI series.
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