VIRAT KOHLI PROVES HE CAN’T BE BULLIED!

The most fitting reply to bullies is showing them you can’t be beaten. Virat Kohli has taught that lesson to many a team; both on and off the pitch. While former cricketers we won’t name have indulged in some Virat-bashing recently, we are rah-rahing the current India captain for having the gumption to take on aggressors with élan.

Stopping short of calling the Aussie players ‘cheats,’ Virat refused to take the ‘no comments’ route when asked hard questions at a post-match press conference on March 7. That his team was able to pull off a spectacular 75-run win against Australia in the Bengaluru Test must certainly have made it easier for Virat to say his piece. Yet, win or lose, Virat will not be bullied — and this is only one of many incidents that stand as proof.

Whether he is taking up for ladylove Anushka Sharma when online trolls try to put her down, or giving traditional bullies a taste of their own medicine, Virat will not be browbeaten. “I live one day at a time,” Virat once told me, when asked about the legacy he hopes to leave, adding: “I would like to be known as a successful cricketer and someone who did a lot of good things for Indian cricket — someone who inspired others to follow their dreams.”

We think Virat is well on his way to achieving this goal, as does former Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara, who agrees that Virat “seems to be able to inspire his team to give their all in any situation.” After all, nothing makes you more game for life than the ability to stand your ground and inspire others to do the same.