Virat Kohli, the Indian captain protested at The Oval when Indian fans booed at Steve Smith. The man who is infamous for his aggressive attitude and temper has earned respect following the gesture from the cricket world.
The story
Steve Smith and David Warner have been the target of the audience since the day they returned from one-year suspension. Cricket fans across the teams haven’t forgotten the sandpaper saga yet and they take every chance of reminding the duo of their guilt. The Oval audience was no exception. When Steve Smith was fielding at the boundary line, he was booed by the Indian audience and called a cheater. Kohli took it upon himself, stood against the act and asked the audience to applaud at the Aussie skipper.
Moreover, once Hardik Pandya was out for a quick 48 off 27 balls and Australian team started celebrating, Kohli walked to Smith. He apologized on behalf of the fans. This gesture of Kohli earned him praise from everyone from the circuit.
Captain Speaks
At the press conference, post their win against Australia, the Indian captain was asked about the same. He explained whatever happened long ago, Smith shouldn’t be bullied for the same now.
Moreover, he mentioned about his IPL experience with Smith and how Smith is trying to prove himself on the field. According to Kohli, Smith is playing hard for his team and that’s what matters the most for cricket. “We’ve had issues in the past. We’ve had a few arguments on the field. But you don’t want to see a guy feeling that heat every time he goes out to play.”
Kohli feels that there is no point of sticking to the same issue as the player is giving his full potential. The captain didn’t want his country audience to set a bad example and hence he took the charge. “So I just felt for him, and I told him, I’m sorry on behalf of the crowd because I’ve seen that happen in a few earlier games, as well, and in my opinion, that’s not acceptable.”
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