A storm was stirred when Amit Mishra raised some thought-provoking questions about Virat Kohli and claimed the former Indian cricket team captain changed with power, fame, and leadership.
However, Mishra spoke highly about Virat Kohli, specifically about his extraordinary fitness and evolution as a cricketer; the media picked up that one segment of his statement and created a ripple.
Well, this sentiment was not new, as the Indian cricket legends, even earlier, like Yuvraj Singh, had touched on similar lines, throwing light on how Virat Kohli changed with the time with his teammates.
Now, this debatable discussion went down to Piyush Chawla, who had a great history with Kohli. Irrespective of the whole controversy Mishra’s statement caused, Chawla took a steady stand.
The former spinner claimed that his relationship with Virat Kohli, developed during their junior cricket days, had not changed over these years. Chawla said that it was just people’s perception to measure things.
Piyush Chawla said on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast: “I didn’t watch the whole thing, but I saw the bashing. I don’t know how it was shown, because I was talking about Virat. All the conversations I had with Virat—we played together in junior cricket—we still meet the same way. And if I want to talk to Virat, I still talk the same way. Everyone has their own perception.”
The Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner further noted: “Look, as I said, everyone has their own relationship with every player. It is possible that you have a good relationship with me, and you both don’t have a good relationship. So, my relationship with Virat, which was 10-15 years ago, is still the same.”
Chawla denies comparing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Meanwhile, Chawla had the honor to bowl to both Kohli and Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Both players, in his eyes, had different styles. Kohli is ruthless in converting even the good balls into scoring opportunities, while Rohit made the most of lapses, turning any loose ball into a thing of beauty, according to the former Indian spinner.
Piyush said, “Look, I want to be very clear. My legs never trembled. That’s why I have been playing for so many years. I have beaten both of them well. So, there is no comparison. Both have their own class. Both have their own way of batting. Both have their own style.”
Chawla names the Indian batter difficult to bowl
Chawla was also asked about the most difficult opponent he ever bowled to; the response wasn’t Kohli, Rohit, MS Dhoni, or Yuvraj Singh, but he tipped his hat to Virender Sehwag, who treated spinners with absolute disrespect.
The former explosive opener Sehwag’s brazenness on the field, where he very often declared that spinners were not real bowlers, made him an opponent to dread.
Piyush said, “Veeru bhai. Very difficult. Veeru Bhai used to bat at a different level. He was the most difficult to bowl than Virat, Rohit, Dhoni, and Yuvraj. He always said that he doesn’t consider spinners to be bowlers. Even in Ashwin’s interview, he said that he used to hurt his ego.”
