Former New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull has revealed the repercussions of criticising Virat Kohli's strike rate in the T20 format. Doull said that the criticism is never personal and he has talked to the Indian top-order batter often. The two have never had an issue but he has got death threats for questioning Kohli’s strike rate.
“He's too good to worry about what if he gets out. He's too good a player, and that was always my point around him. I said a thousand great things about Virat Kohli, but I say one thing that might be slightly negative or construed to be negative, I get death threats. It's never personal. We've had great conversations. I've interviewed him at tosses, we've talked after games, there's never been an issue,” Doull told Cricbuzz.
Criticism works as motivation for Kohli
Doull said that the criticism drives him and it has led to improved strike rate in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He lauded the 35-year-old for targetting spinners with slog sweep.
"When I look at the game and the way the game's moved, particularly with the impact sub, it had moved, and a strike rate of 134 or 135 didn't cut it anymore. What he did this year, I loved the way he was more aggressive. He took the bowling on. He played the slog sweep, which we didn't see him play much. And he's never not going to have the fire and be one of the fittest blokes in the game, because that's what drives him.
"Sometimes he needs some motivation. I thought about it afterwards and I thought you know maybe he does thrive on it because what else has he got to thrive on? After 17 years of giving the game everything he's given, he's got to look for something to spur him on now and then," he added.
Kohli’s IPL 2024 numbers
On May 26, Kohli became the first batter in IPL history to win Orange Cap twice. He scored 741 runs from 15 games at an average of 61.75 including one century and five fifties. His strike rate in the season was 154.70.
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