Art of speaking, learn it from Virat Kohli, not Gautam Gambhir
There is a famous quote from golf legend Tiger Woods: “Don’t get bitter, get better.” Watching Team India win the third ODI against South Africa by nine wickets and clinch the series in Vizag on Saturday night, what stood out was the poise of Yashasvi Jaiswal, the aggression from Rohit Sharma and how the second part of the famous RoKo combo, Virat Kohli, was sheer symphony.
These days, post-match conferences are worth hearing and reading. Perhaps, borrowing from Tiger Woods comment on “get better” Virat Kohli showed the grammar of his batting is intact. If anything, he is enjoying his cricket even more, as he said. This is a reflection of his batting skills, his body language, his positivity and staying in the present. Most important, he is not worried about whether or not he will play in the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
At a time when life span for humans is increasing in number of years, what is more important is to stay healthy. Even if there are certain lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes, the challenge is to manage the parameters, work on fitness, reduced stress and take medication under advice from doctors.
Hearing Kohli speak, that he is enjoying his cricket, in just one international format called ODIs is a delight. He lords over the ODIs. If there was hesitancy in Australia during the ODI series and certain cheapsters masquerading as media were rubbishing Kohli, the King has let his bat talk. To be in the present, perform and not worry, Kohli is doing the best thing possible. Worry on form or fluency cannot exist for any athlete. He has shown a monk-like serenity and is enjoying his cricket. To borrow from John Keats: “My imagination is a monastery, and I am it’s monk,” seems to be the philosophy of Kohli.
If Kohli speaks about positive things about himself, welcome it. He is an inspiration for so many, what, now, with an image of him hugging Smriti Mandhana going viral on social media. It has a connect with the RCB team, where the two legends are part of the IPL and WPL teams. If one snap like this can spread positivity, then, perhaps, coach Gautam Gambhir can learn a lot from Kohli.
On Saturday night, Gambhir was patting himself on the back for India winning the ODI series. Granted, as coach, he can take some credit. But where was the need for him to refer to an IPL team owner having made a statement that coaching should be a split job. If that quote from an IPL team owner, who has made considerable investment in Indian sports is being taken so negatively, it shows Gambhir cannot face criticism.
Leadership is not easy. There will be good times and bad times. And there will be genuine good wishes as well as criticism. The key is to stay inert to criticism and introspect. At a time when the chatter is whether or not RoKo will be part of the 2027 World Cup, let time decide. Both the rock stars of Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are slogging in terms of fitness and scoring runs.
Wait till 2027 and see if the BCCI selectors are convinced these men are worth it. As for Gambhir, he has the backing of the BCCI. He will do well to behave like a national coach, not a school cricket team captain who offers excuses. Mr Gambhir, your poor record as coach of Team India in Test cricket cannot be brushed under the carpet. Calm down, stay silent. It’s a great virtue when there is a storm!
