[VIDEO/PICTURES] Virat Kohli asks fans to stop 'booing' Steve Smith during India vs Australia match

[MP2011]

No reason?

I wouldn't have booed Smith if I was there, but to say that some people might have no reason to boo him is absurd.

Kohli has acted and continues to act trashy. That's cool and part of what is endearing about him. But he doesn't get to choose if and when others act trashy. He can mind his business and control his teammates if he wants, as their captain.

To me this act was him creating some drama to be lapped up by the cameras. Towards the end of the same game, he cracked under the pressure and went berserk after taking Coulter-Nile's catch despite the possibility of an Aussie win being negligible.

He supported Warner and Smith during their bans privately and in public and that's nice. But he doesn't get to choose how others behave when he's not their captain. At best, he could have sent a message to the crowd by sharing a laugh and handshake with Smith as he ran past him.

Don't stand there shaking your head in disgust as if this is the worst thing you've ever seen in your pure life.

This is correct. This is eerily similar to that what he and his wife did with that garbage littering guy in Mumbai. That time as well, both of them tried to be holier than thou.

This is one aspect of Kohli which I simply don't like. This guy will make a good politician.

 

[MP2011]

No tendulkar seemed genuine. If anything it seemed he did what he thought and didn’t have any thing more in mind when he took any decision as a player at least. He didn’t go out of his way to compliment anyone or be extra friendly and similarly didn’t try to manufacture an aggressive persona on the field. Both which would have made him much more marketable.

With Kohli I always get the sense that any decision he takes he devotes a time in ensuring that he is pleasing everybody and maintaining a great image. Guys like tendulkar (who to be fair wasn’t out there in any aspect anyway) or Ponting didn’t seem to care too much in that regard.

At the end of the day what I’m saying is a bit pointless but what I’m trying to say and what you allude to as well is that with Kohli every decision or act is driven by ulterior motives so the genuineness doesn’t remain.

Ofcourse this is all irrelevant and in no way am I saying that I don’t like Kohli. He’s a great. But whenever he does these ‘nice acts’ or when he shows aggression which I think is forced, I take both with a pinch of salt.

Well said about Tendulkar. He didn't ever fake his personality, however poorly or well others may take it. He was same regardless of situation, circumstances. Thats why I like his personality, you get what you see. Nothing ulterior in his motives.

Kohli on the other hand looks very calculated in whatever he does in public life. He is an out and out politician in this regard.

 

[Smbhayi]

'I'm sorry on behalf of the crowd': Kohli calls for end to Smith boos

London: Indian captain Virat Kohli has sent a message to cricket supporters to lay off Steve Smith, declaring the former Australian captain does not deserve to be jeered.

Kohli, often seen as the villain when playing Australia, demonstrated a show of friendship during India's 36-run win on Sunday when he urged Indian supporters to stop booing Smith, after the Australian had been sent to third man to field.

Smith was there for only two deliveries before returning to the infield, but Kohli had pointed to the logo on his chest, indicating he wanted the thousands on hand at the Oval to cheer for their country - and not boo Smith. As a show of support, Kohli then shook Smith's hand in between overs.

Smith has been heckled by supporters throughout this World Cup campaign as a result of his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year, when he was suspended for a year by Cricket Australia for bringing the game into disrepute.

However, Kohli - who has had on and off-field spats with Smith when they were opposing captains - said the booing of the Australian had become unacceptable.
"Look, I think what's happened has happened like long (ago) - the guy is back, he's trying to play well for his side," he said.

"Even in the IPL I saw him, it's not good to see someone down like that, to be honest. 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. What's happened has happened. Everyone has known that. He's come back. He's worked hard. He's playing well for his side now."

Kohli and Smith each performed well with the bat, the former muscling 82 off 77 deliveries, with four boundaries and two sixes, while Smith, promoted to No.3 when Aaron Finch was run out to ensure there was a left-and-right handed combination, contributed 69 off 70 balls and gave his nation some hope of overhauling India's 5-352.

It remains to be seen if Kohli's message filters through the cricketing landscape, with Australia's next game against Pakistan in Taunton on Wednesday.

"So just because there's so many Indian fans here, I just didn't want them to set a bad example, to be honest, because he didn't do anything to be booed in my opinion," Kohli said.

"He's just playing cricket. He was just standing there, and I felt bad because if I was in a position where something had happened with me and I had apologised, I accepted it and I came back and still I would get booed, I wouldn't like it, either.

"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."

India have reinforced why they are arguably the best side at the World Cup, for they have batting power - Shikhar Dhawan (117 off 109 balls), Rohit Sharma (57 off 70 balls) and Hardik Pandya (48 off 27 balls) all fired alongside Kohli - while they have a balanced and deep attack of pace and spin.

Despite strong wins over South Africa and Australia, Kohli refused to buy into suggestions his side was already a lock for a semi-final berth.

"I think after about six games we'll be in a better position to know where we stand in the tournament, where we stand in the table, but we couldn't have asked for a better start against two strong sides," he said.

"The good thing is we're playing all strong sides up front, so as I mentioned in Mumbai before we left, if we do well in the first phase, we'll be in a better position to reach the semi-finals."

 

[pillionrider]

This is correct. This is eerily similar to that what he and his wife did with that garbage littering guy in Mumbai. That time as well, both of them tried to be holier than thou.

This is one aspect of Kohli which I simply don't like. This guy will make a good politician.

Which is why I'll choose Gambhir over him as far as principles are concerned despite Gambhir being a Modiji fan.

Kohli and Anushka think they're special. And they are. Well at least he is, as far as I'm concerned. There's a difference between being special and thinking you're better than others.

Anyone who thinks Kohli doesn't care about people's opinions is terribly mistaken. He acts like he is Ponting but hurts like Umar Akmal in this regard.

 

[Gilly]

I can see it now, the Kohli/Smith trophy.

Good opportunity for both boards to build some goodwill for Aus/Ind series.

 

[Shoaib88]

Kohli has come to the 'enlightenment' period of a cricketer. This is the period when you have got the enough knowledge of cricket to understand that nothing is as big as the game. At the end, all your achievements as an individual will become meaningless if you had failed to display sportsmanship- if you had failed to offer your hand while the opponent was down. Sports are all about competing fiercely while maintaining huge amount of respect for your opponent. Sport teaches you great things about life. It teaches you to put in incredible amount of hardwork to leave your mark in this competitive world while at the same time, remembering to offer a helping hand to someone who seem to have slipped and fallen in this fierce competition.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Virat Kohli regarding Steve Smith "He didn't do anything to be booed. I felt bad because if I'd apologised, come back & still got booed I wouldn't like it. I felt for him & said sorry to him on behalf of the crowd ” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/mdM2j4DQMe">pic.twitter.com/mdM2j4DQMe</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1137843427209568257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[Braveheart]

Surely what should be more concerning to Kohli and the 'Good Name' of Indian cricket is the Idiot who decided to take a toilet break while seated in the crowd at the SA match surrounded by Women and kids and do it while posing for a video with his friends.
The video has been circulating over Social media for the last few days.
I will not post any links as it is explicit and disturbing in more ways than one.

 

[Gilly]

Surely what should be more concerning to Kohli and the 'Good Name' of Indian cricket is the Idiot who decided to take a toilet break while seated in the crowd at the SA match surrounded by Women and kids and do it while posing for a video with his friends.
The video has been circulating over Social media for the last few days.
I will not post any links as it is explicit and disturbing in more ways than one.

Maybe thats why Kohli did it, after what happened in the SA match maybe he thought it was time to step in and ask the crowd to behave better.

 

[Gullycricket]

People going gaga over this gesture should see his celebration with filthy abuses when he took Couter Nile's catch.He is trying too hard to cover up his reality of sadak chaap.
All this is stunt for the camera.

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

Never liked kohli for his on field behaviour (at times) but class act by him to do this....a champion...legacy is also defined by acts like this.....as an indian good for him to do this...but also shame on the crowd to boo SS...

 

[Braveheart]

People going gaga over this gesture should see his celebration with filthy abuses when he took Couter Nile's catch.He is trying too hard to cover up his reality of sadak chaap.
All this is stunt for the camera.

Kohli is a bit of a 'Schizo' when he is on the field.

 

[MenInG]

Familiarity, it seems, only breeds respect for Indian captain Virat Kohli.

Few teams know each other as well as India and Australia, who played their ninth ODI match this year in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup at the Oval.

It’s one of the fiercest rivalries in world cricket, with Kohli admitting a recent home series defeat to Australia was the major motivation in his side’s 36-run victory.

However, when Australia’s Steve Smith received a hostile welcome from a capacity crowd dominated by Indian supporters, Kohli knew he had to intervene, appealing to the crowd to get off his back.

“It’s not good to see someone down like that, you don't want to see a guy feeling that heat every time he goes out to play,” he said.

“Because there's so many Indian fans here, I just didn't want them to set a bad example. He was just standing there and I felt bad for him.

“I’m sorry on behalf of the crowd as, and in my opinion, that's not acceptable.”

Kohli is certainly happy with his form as India head to Trent Bridge for a clash with New Zealand on Thursday brimming with confidence after opening wins over South Africa and the defending champions.

He made a dashing 82 to delight the partisan crowd though it was opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who hit 16 boundaries in his 109-ball 117, that shone brightest of all.

However, the Indian captain saved special praise for Hardik Pandya, who was promoted up the order to deliver quick runs and duly fired a freakish 48 off just 27 deliveries, including clubbing an enormous six straight over the head of Australian seamer Pat Cummins.

India scored 120 runs in their final ten overs, Pandya’s seven boundaries, including three mammoth sixes, ultimately the difference between the teams.

“He's in a good space right now,” added Kohli.

“I’m really delighted to see him enjoying himself on the field. He's just having fun and playing the sport for the love of it.

“He is playing with a clarity of mind and striking the ball brilliantly. In the past he sometimes tried too hard but after the IPL he seems to believe he can clear the boundary whenever he wants.

“He’s not trying to over-hit the ball, he’s just timing things so well. The bowler is always under pressure against him because he needs to get it absolutely right, that’s an amazing place to be in for Hardik.”

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aaron Finch regarding Virat Kohli telling Indian fans not to boo Steve Smith "it was all class from Virat. He does a lot of great things for the game. It was nice to see and it was a great touch" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/3adqhvAsro">pic.twitter.com/3adqhvAsro</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1138424017948479488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[TNAmarkFromIndia]

I knew Kohli has been faking it ever since the 2014 World T20 final when he walked upto Sangakkara and shook his hand for scoring a 50 with only a few runs left to win. Not sure why he thinks he needs to try so hard.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Some of the fans are getting annoyed by kohli's rising reputation.
So he is doing this to create a brand, then please tell Me why he hurles abuses at players after they get dismissed, does it not lower his reputation.?


Sachin never said a thing without thinking thrice, he built a god persona who people still worship.


Kohli is an outspoken guy, he doesn't care what others think. Anybody with even the tiniest of brain can tell that which of them is real and who is fake.

According to indian fans.
Kohli can neither abuse nor praise, he should just zip his mouth.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

I knew Kohli has been faking it ever since the 2014 World T20 final when he walked upto Sangakkara and shook his hand for scoring a 50 with only a few runs left to win. Not sure why he thinks he needs to try so hard.

Now please tell me why he abuses players after they get dismissed, does he not realize that his personna is getting affected by it?

 

[barah_admi]

Good PR by Kohli.

Personally I believe Smith and Warner should be booed till their careers end and this is not me being too harsh. Smith was captain and Warner senior player and VC (??), they both systematically created an environment and method to cheat their way to wins, possibly on multiple occasions and then lied about it/covered it up till they could no long do it.

They not only brought the game into dispute but were immoral in their reaction to it, now stop whinging, crying and man up.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

Now please tell me why he abuses players after they get dismissed, does he not realize that his personna is getting affected by it?

To show he's aggressive and that he wears his heart on his sleeve. Also to show that he will give back as much as he can take. Media is already branding him as a representation of the new India.

I don't have a problem with his abusing personally as long as he's as good a player as he is. But often times he does or says things that come across as fake and even forced.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

To show he's aggressive and that he wears his heart on his sleeve. Also to show that he will give back as much as he can take. Media is already branding him as a representation of the new India.

I don't have a problem with his abusing personally as long as he's as good a player as he is. But often times he does or says things that come across as fake and even forced.

So he wants to show he is a gentleman but on the other hand also wants media to show that he is a spoilt brat.
Basically Kohli has multiple personality disorder.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Class act from Kohli. Credit where it’s due.

People need to appreciate the transformation and maturity.

This guy 10 years ago had all sort of issues.

Now he’s the biggest star in cricket, married an A+ Bollywood actress and is constantly improving at everything.

Kohli wasn’t a child prodigy of Tendulkar’s level but he’s elevated himself through sheer hard work at not just cricket but at his general behaviour as well.

I’m quite proud that he is leading our team. Keep making us proud Virat.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

So he wants to show he is a gentleman but on the other hand also wants media to show that he is a spoilt brat.
Basically Kohli has multiple personality disorder.

How does abusing on the field show he's a spoilt brat?

 

[CricketIsAwesome]

Class from Kohli doing the right thing.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">David Warner "the boos are water off a duck's back. You get it all the time. I've heard it my whole career. Actually it eggs us on a lot and makes us knuckle down and try to score more runs if anything" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/FopPmLREcO">pic.twitter.com/FopPmLREcO</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1138923381359828992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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[MenInG]

Bowler James Anderson has asked England fans not to boo Australia opener David Warner as it "will spur him on to perform even better".

Warner has been jeered during the World Cup after recently returning from a year-long ban for ball tampering.

But he scored his first international century since his his comeback to help Australia beat Pakistan on Wednesday.

"From our point of view we'd rather he just be left alone," England's Anderson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Warner and World Cup team-mate Steve Smith were banned, along with Cameron Bancroft, after being involved in a plot to use sandpaper on the ball during a tour of South Africa in March 2018.

Australia coach Justin Langer asked fans not to boo Warner and Smith during the World Cup but they have both endured hostile receptions.

The pair are also likely to play when the Ashes takes place in England this summer.

Asked if Warner would be targeted for sledging by England players, Anderson said: "I wouldn't have thought so.

"In the last few years we've been trying to stay away from that sort of thing. In terms of crowd reaction, we can't control that."

Anderson is not part of England's limited overs team but, having taken more wickets than any other fast bowler in Test history with 575, will be a key player during the five-Test Ashes series.

He added: "When we go to Australia we get much worse than being booed.

"You know it's just part and parcel of the sport. English fans are very passionate when it comes to the Ashes as well.

"For me, I actually personally think that if David Warner gets booed that will spur him on to perform even better."

View Comments


https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/48634124

 

[zarar]

We gave both Warner and Smith loads of cheers every time they came to field near us. Both took off their caps, waved, acknowledged us and had the biggest smiles on their faces whilst doing so.

 

[MenInG]

We gave both Warner and Smith loads of cheers every time they came to field near us. Both took off their caps, waved, acknowledged us and had the biggest smiles on their faces whilst doing so.

Did you take any pictures of that? if so share them here.

 

[Tapeballcricket]

In the eyes of the public no one felt the same way about the Pakistani players as they did about Steve Smith, David Warner. No Pakistani player was ever made to cry like a baby in public unlike the so called Alpha Australian players. God knows how many unfair wins the likes of Starc, Hazelwood racked up due to the blatant disgraceful cheating. Rightfully punished and rightfully will be admonished for the rest of their lives now

I don't know much about what happened to Australian players but I remember in 2016 test match at Old Trafford, everytime Amir came to bowl and took a jump, the whole crowd at Party stand would yell NO BALL. It made me sick. Can only imagine what Amir would have felt like.

 

[Sidilicious]

I don't know much about what happened to Australian players but I remember in 2016 test match at Old Trafford, everytime Amir came to bowl and took a jump, the whole crowd at Party stand would yell NO BALL. It made me sick. Can only imagine what Amir would have felt like.

Its part and parcel of the game. International players will have to take some stick. There is nothing wrong with the crowd getting involved a bit. Cricketers know that they will get mocked for their past discretions.

 

[MenInG]

Virat Kohli came to Steve Smith's defence when Indian fans turned on the former Australian captain during the India vs Australia World Cup 2019 at The Oval in London. The Indian skipper asked the fans to lay off Steve Smith when he thought the abuse against the Australian got too much. But England captain Eoin Morgan has made it clear, he would do nothing of the sort when the hosts clash with Australia at Lord's on Tuesday. Morgan insisted it is not his job to tell supporters how to react to David Warner and Steve Smith.

Warner and Smith were banned for 12 months for their role in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Ever since their arrival in England for the World Cup, the duo have been on the receiving end of boos and abuse from fans.

Australia coach Justin Langer has pleaded for the taunts to stop, with India captain Virat Kohli and Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed telling their supporters to lay off the duo.

But although the Australia clash is being played at Lord's -- the 'home of cricket' where crowds are traditionally polite -- Morgan refused to issue a plea to respect Warner and Smith.

"I'm not expecting anything. I think fans and supporters up and down the country will have different reactions, as they will around the world. So we'll see," Morgan told reporters on Monday.

"Supporters pay a lot of money, they do. And sport is beautiful in many ways, because it attracts people from far and wide.

"And you often see crowds offering support to both sets of players in the grounds."

Morgan added: "You don't know how sports fans will react.

"Just because two guys have been punished, served their punishment and returned to play, it doesn't mean they will be accepted back into the cricket community straight away. It will take time."

England batsman Jonny Bairstow accused Australia of double standards in asking fans to go easy on Warner and Smith because former coach Darren Lehmann had previously urged supporters to verbally abuse England quick Stuart Broad during an Ashes series 'Down Under'.

Asked for his opinion of Bairstow's comments, Morgan said: "I don't have a view on it. I think every instance is different, every team is different.

"I believe that was a long time ago under a different regime. I don't know."

Defeats by Sri Lanka and Pakistan mean England could need to win two of their three remaining group matches against Australia, India and New Zealand to reach the semi-finals.

But Morgan tried to play down the significance of the latest clash with their old enemies by saying: "It's not must-win yet. We don't need to win every game to get to the semi-final."

https://sports.ndtv.com/world-cup-2...at-kohli-for-steve-smith-david-warner-2058519

 

[JaDed]

Exactly Aussies should never be let go, they have the most tough audience ever, everyone including Dravid has been sledged by the kids their.

 

[MenInG]

Australia top-order batsman Steve Smith has broken silence on India captain Virat Kohli’s gesture during the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales last year. During the India-Australia World Cup clash, the ‘Men in Blue’ supporters tried to rile up Smith by mentioning the sandpaper scandal. However, the India captain egged the crowd on to support and not boo Smith soon after his return to international cricket from a one-year suspension for ball-tampering.

Smith finally spoke on the incident and said it was a nice gesture from the Indian skipper, which recently won Kohli International Cricket Council’s (ICC) ‘Spirit of Cricket Award’.

“In the World Cup it was really nice of Virat (Kohli) to do what he did. He did not have to do that and yeah it was a lovely gesture and really appreciated that,” Smith told IANS.

Smith also praised Kohli’s batting abilities and leadership qualities as he stated: “Yeah, he is terrific. His batting numbers just speak for themselves. I think he’s an incredible player in all three formats and I think we will see him break many records. He’s already broken plenty of them and I see him breaking many more over the years. He has got the hunger for runs and doesn’t stop getting them. Hopefully he can stop getting them against Australia, that’ll be nice.”

After winning the award, Kohli told ICC: “I’m surprised that I have got it, after many years of being under the scanner for the wrong things.”

On the Smith incident, he said: “That moment was purely understanding an individual’s situation. I don’t think a guy who is coming out of a situation like that needs to be taken advantage of.”

“That should not be a representation of our fans and what we stand as a cricketing nation, a sporting nation. We need to all take responsibility towards that. Intimidate the opposition, definitely try and have an upper hand but in a matter that is not targeting someone emotionally.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...9-world-cup/story-dowPeLDx3emnxWCripojnK.html

 

[MenInG]

Virat Kohli and Steve Smith used to fierce rivals but that equation has lately changed for the better, at least in terms of their equation off the field. The two star batsmen have admitted they share a friendly relation and a part of it was visible during the India-Australia World Cup match last year at The Oval.

Crowd around the world had not yet warmed up to Smith, who had recently returned to playing cricket after serving a 12-month ban for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in a Test match against South Africa in Capetown in March of 2018. At the Oval, Smith who was fielding at third man, was constantly jeered by fans, who kept chanting ‘cheater’ from the stands.

It did not go down well with Kohli, who was batting. Upon completing a single, the India captain in a wonderful gesture, looked towards the crown and asked the Indian fans to applaud Smith. The two players even shook hands and embraced each other at the end of the Over while changing sides.

Kohli’s gesture earned him praise from the cricket fraternity, including one from Smith, who acknowledged the India skipper by calling him a ‘terrific guy’ and lauding his captaincy.

“Virat’s gesture in the World Cup to the Indian fans that were giving me (Smith) and David Warner little bit of a stick, I appreciated that and I share that with him straight up,” Smith said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.

“He is a terrific guy and the way he has led the Indian team has been amazing. They are an amazing side and can’t wait to play them when they come out to Australia this year, will be something incredibly special.”

Things between Kohli and Smith were not at its best when Australia had toured India in 2017 to play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The two players constantly used to be at each other’s throats. Before the start of the series, Kohli had declared that he was “really good friends” with some of the Australian cricketers, but by the India had emerged victorious in a pretty-heated series, the India captain said that equation had “changed for sure.”

But of late, things have been pretty smooth. About his gesture at World Cup, Kohli had said that he didn’t Smith had done anything to deserve the boos and that if it was about the ball-tampering scandal, the former Australia captain had served his punishment. It’s been a year since that incident but Smith hasn’t forgotten.

“I had few conversations with him (Virat) off the field, few messages here and there in recent times just to see how things are going in India. He is a terrific guy and we both play hard out on the field and play as well for our respective teams and its part of the game,” Smith said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...steve-smith/story-x4iBoof4leoFfD0leApUmO.html