'Let's see what you're made of...': Ex-England player's message for 'villain' Virat Kohli after Bairstow sledging saga
Looking at Virat Kohli's theatrics, former England cricketer David Lloyd couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if there was physicality involved in the sport.
Former England cricketer David Lloyd has said that he felt nice seeing India's players warm up to Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow following their stunning seven wicket at Edgbaston on Tuesday. After England hammered India to end the series 2-2, visuals of Virat Kohli shaking hands and patting Bairstow on his back, was a fitting end to the Kohli-Bairstow saga that became a major talking point during the Birmingham Test. The two players had gotten involved in a heated exchange on Day 3 of the Test match, and Kohli was even seen delivering a flying kiss and waving goodbye to Bairstow after he was dismissed.
Several ex-cricketers were against this act of Kohli, with the British media coming down hard on the former India captain. However, in the end, it all went well with Kohli and Bairstow moving on from the episode, and Lloyd in particular was happy and reserved a rather special appreciation for Kohli.
"I thought the on-field scenes at the conclusion of the game were glorious, with India's players warmly congratulating Root and Jonny Bairstow and recognising the epic job they had done. Special mention for Virat Kohli, who is the proudest and most combative India cricketer, and at times plays the pantomime villain, but who had a special word to both players. I like that," Lloyd wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.
However, looking at Kohli's theatrics, Lloyd couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if there was physicality involved in the sport. Cricket, once the gentleman's game, has no room for any physicality, but Lloyd feels that if there is really so much need to provoke the opposition, players might as well deal with it the old-fashioned way.
"Having said that about Kohli, I do sometimes wonder where the line is and who draws it. Sportsmanship, banter, gamesmanship, boorish behaviour, insults, abuse - we saw everything on the fourth day. Of course, cricket is a non-contact sport and the trader is safe in the knowledge that he or she can't get hurt. But if a player feels the need to engage another, my advice is to take up cage fighting and have a proper go. Let's see what you're really made of," he pointed out.
