Virat Kohli humorously addresses criticism over his on-field temperament
What's the story
Indian cricket's poster boy Virat Kohli has finally addressed the raging debate over his on-field behavior.
The 36-year-old batsman joked that both his aggression and calmness face public scrutiny.
He confessed to being clueless about how to react to such perceptions, adding that he doesn't pay attention anymore as he doesn't know what people expect of him.
"People are not happy about that either. I don't know what to do," Kohli stated at the RCB Innovational Lab Indian Sports Summit.
Transformation
Kohli's evolution: From aggressive player to calm competitor
Kohli's career has been defined by his expressive nature, which has been displayed with passionate celebrations and verbal volleys.
But over the last few years, he has been more calm on the field. This change has led fans and critics to discuss a drop in intensity.
Kohli said: "Earlier my aggression was a problem, now my calmness is a problem."
Aggression
Kohli's aggressive nature: A double-edged sword
Kohli admitted that his naturally aggressive self would sometimes take him over the line on the field.
However, he emphasized that he always meant well, and wanted to help his team.
"The kind of person I am, the kind of personality I have, yes, I do have tendencies to kind of go overboard," he said.
"But the starting point is...the starting point has been of care."
Celebration
Kohli's celebration style: A reflection of his competitive spirit
Kohli also spoke about how his celebration style has changed over the years.
He said that while he used to often show raw emotions in the past, his priorities have now changed.
"For a lot of people, it might not have been something that they're able to process," he said about his evolution. "But for me, it always comes from the right place."
Competitiveness
Kohli's competitiveness remains intact despite toned-down aggression
Despite his calmer approach, Kohli stressed that his competitive spirit hasn't changed.
He explained that it's not always necessary to show aggression outside.
"My competitiveness has not gone down," he said. "You can still be aggressive in your mind, but you don't necessarily need to express it out there every now and then out of frustration."