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'Don't know what people think about him': Former selector reveals how Kohli conducts himself in selection meetings

By, New Delhi
Feb 22, 2021 11:30 AM IST

Kohli's on-field antics often blow up on social media, but he is still regarded as one of the greatest of the current generation because of his consistent run with the bat.

India captain Virat Kohli is known for his aggressive on-field behaviour. Every opposition captain in the world is wary of not indulging in conversation with skipper Kohli during a match as it only riles him up to perform even better than he usually does. Kohli's on-field antics often blow up on social media, but he is still regarded as one of the greatest of the current generation because of his consistent run with the bat.

India captain Virat Kohli chats with coach Ravi Shastri during Cricket World Cup on July 05, 2019 in Leeds, England.(Getty Images)
India captain Virat Kohli chats with coach Ravi Shastri during Cricket World Cup on July 05, 2019 in Leeds, England.(Getty Images)

But at the same time, it has been well documented by several current and former players that Kohli is a completely different person off the field. In a recent interaction, former India cricketer and selector Sarandeep Singh revealed Kohli's true 'humble' nature off the field, and especially during team selection meetings.

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"Whenever Virat comes, team meetings used to go on for 1, 1.5 hours. Virat is a good listener. I don't know what people think about him," Sarandeep Singh told Sportskeeda.

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"If you see him in the matches, he's always charged up while batting and fielding. So it seems like he's always hot and arrogant, and doesn't listen to anyone. But no, he's as down-to-earth as he seems aggressive on the field. In selection meetings, he was so polite. He always used to listen to everyone and then finally come to a decision," he added.

"At his home, there are no servants. He and his wife will serve food to everyone. What else do you want? Virat always sits with you, chats with you, and goes out for dinner with you. All the other players have so much respect for him. He's very down-to-earth and strong-willed," he further said.

"On the field, he needs to be that way because he's the captain. He's the one who'll handle the pressure on the ground and make decisions in the heat of the moment," he signed off.

Meanwhile, the Kohli-led Indian team will square off in a Day/Night Test against England starting from Wednesday.

Orange Cap in IPL 2025, Purple Cap in IPL 2025 , and IPL Points Table 2025 – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, IPL match previews, and in-depth coverage of IPL 2025 and IPL Match Today along with MI vs GT Live on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news.
Orange Cap in IPL 2025, Purple Cap in IPL 2025 , and IPL Points Table 2025 – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, IPL match previews, and in-depth coverage of IPL 2025 and IPL Match Today along with MI vs GT Live on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news.
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