Venkatesh Prasad comments on the ‘selfish’ innings of Virat Kohli

Former Indian pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad has strongly criticized critics who have labeled Virat Kohli as “selfish” and accused him of being “obsessed with personal milestones.” In a direct response posted on his X handle, Prasad commended Kohli for being “selfish” in a positive sense.

On Sunday, Virat Kohli achieved a significant milestone by equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 One Day International (ODI) centuries. Kohli’s remarkable innings of 101 not out off 121 balls on his 35th birthday helped India post 326/5 against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India’s bowlers then bundled out the Proteas for just 83 runs in 27.1 overs.

Prasad tweeted on X

While Kohli received widespread praise for his exceptional performance, some critics suggested that he was being selfish and playing solely for personal achievements. These critics pointed to Kohli’s slower scoring rate towards the end of his innings. In defense of Kohli, Prasad wrote on his X handle:

“Hearing funny arguments about Virat Kohli being Selfish and obsessed with personal milestones. Yes, Kohli is selfish, selfish enough to follow the dream of a billion people, selfish enough to strive for excellence even after achieving so much, selfish enough to set new benchmarks, selfish enough to ensure his team wins. Yes, Kohli is selfish.”

Kohli’s innings on Sunday included 10 boundaries, and he shared a crucial 134-run partnership for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 77 runs off 87 balls.

After being named the Player of the Match for his record-equalling 49th ODI century, Kohli downplayed comparisons with Tendulkar and humbly acknowledged that he could never reach the same heights as his hero. During the post-match presentation ceremony, he stated:

“To equal my hero’s record in ODIs is something that is a huge honor for me. I know that people like comparisons, but I am never going to be as good as him [Sachin]. There’s a reason why we’ve all looked up to him. He’s perfection when it comes to batting… he’s always going to be my hero regardless of what happens.”

Kohli expressed the emotional significance of the moment for him and the impact Tendulkar’s praise had on him. Kohli is currently the second-leading run-scorer in the 2023 World Cup, having amassed 543 runs in eight innings at an impressive average of 108.60 and a strike rate of 88.29.

Virat Kohli’s remarkable achievements and his dedication to achieving both personal and team success continue to be a source of inspiration and admiration in the cricketing world.

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