• Virat Kohli scored his 48th ODI ton during India's clash against Bangladesh in ODI World Cup 2023.

  • Kris Srikkanth came to Kohli's defence after many termed his ton an act of selfishness.

World Cup 2023: Kris Srikkanth hits back at trolls for calling Virat Kohli’s innings against Bangladesh a selfish act
Virat Kohli and Kris Srikanth (Image Source Twitter)

The ODI World Cup 2023 has not only brought forth moments of pure cricketing excellence and intense competition but also a fair share of controversies. One such incident that’s been buzzing in the cricketing world is Virat Kohli‘s century in the match between India and Bangladesh, which has ignited a huge debate, with some labelling it as a selfish act.

Why are people calling Virat’s ton a selfish act?

In the exciting match between India and Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, what stole the spotlight completely was Virat’s remarkable 48th ODI century. However, his century didn’t come without controversy.

There was a crucial moment in the game when Virat needed 15 runs to reach his century, while India required the same number of runs to secure the win. Interestingly, the right-handed batter made the decision to go for the century and finish the game himself, not taking singles with KL Rahul at the non-striker’s end. He chose to take singles only when it was necessary, waiting until the last ball of the overs if he hadn’t hit a boundary.

It’s important to note that Rahul later clarified that it was his own idea for Kohli to go for the century and that the Delhi-born cricketer didn’t feel right about it. Despite this, many cricket enthusiasts were unhappy with Kohli’s actions, and he was subject to huge trolling.

Also READ: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya ruled out of the match against New Zealand

Kris Srikkanth’s defence of Virat Kohli

A former Indian cricketer and a respected figure in Indian cricket, Kris Srikkanth decided to come to Virat’s defence amidst the uproar on social media. He took to his Twitter account to express his unwavering support for Kohli and disdain for the trolls.

Srikkanth pointed out that there was nothing wrong with what Kohli did and emphasized that scoring a century in a World Cup is a significant achievement. He also applauded Rahul for his team spirit in allowing Kohli to reach the milestone.

“What is wrong in what Virat did? I question people who don’t understand cricket, note it is a huge deal to score a century in a World Cup, @imVkohli deserves this & much more! Kudos to a team man like @klrahul who deserved it against Aus in Chennai! Enjoy when you still can #INDvsBAN,” wrote Srikkanth.

India registers fourth consecutive win in the ODI World Cup 2023

As far as the result of the match is concerned, Virat’s ton helped the Men in Blue defeat Bangladesh by seven wickets and register their fourth consecutive win in the ODI World Cup 2023. Virat was even adjudged ‘Player of the Match for his sensational innings.

Also WATCH: Indian squad celebrates as Ravindra Jadeja gets ‘Gold Medal’ for best fielder of the match

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About the Author:
Vishwanath Hariharan is Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. From breaking news stories to in-depth features and opinion pieces, he has covered a wide range of topics. Vishwanath is very fond of watching cricket. Like many others, he too grew up watching, playing, and imitating his favourite players of the game. MS Dhoni is like a demigod to him. You can connect with him at vishwanath.hariharan@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter & Linkedin.