India’s first World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has criticised Virat Kohli for his statement after the team’s huge loss against New Zealand on October 31. Kohli had summed up India’s lacklustre effort against the Kiwis saying that “we were not brave enough”. Kapil felt a “little strange” after Kohli’s statement and said it is very unlike him.
"For a big player like him, it is a very weak statement. If that is the kind of body language the team has and if that is kind of thought process the captain has, it is really tough to lift the team. I felt a little strange hearing those words. He isn’t that kind of a player," Kapil told ABP News.
However, the 62-year-old believes that Kohli said it “in the moment”. He also believes that comments like these will not benefit the Indian team.
"He is a fighter. I think he got lost in the moment or something. A captain should not say words like ‘we were not brave enough’. You are playing for your country and he has the passion. But when you say such words, fingers will definitely be pointed."
This is the first time India have lost their first two matches in T20 World Cup over the years. The two losses have filled India’s qualification road to semi-finals with plenty ifs and buts. The Kohli-led side will next face Mohammad Nabi’s Afghanistan in a bid to register their first win in the tournament and give a major boost to their net run rate.
