Dear Virat,
I hope you’re sitting down for this: it’s over, and in my heart, I’ve known it for a while. In case your memory is fading, kindly allow me to remind you of two incidents in particular.
Published: Jan 07, 2012, 02:19 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 05, 2014, 04:24 PM (IST)
Previously, Virat Kohli had abused umpire Sudhir Asnani on his way back to the pavilion after being adjudged leg before wicket
Dear Virat,
I hope you’re sitting down for this: it’s over, and in my heart, I’ve known it for a while.
Let’s get this straight: yes, it is patently wrong for fans to insult your mother, sister, girlfriend, and neighbour’s pet. But, lest we forget, it’s not as if you’re a shrinking violet, either.
In actual fact, you seem to have – in the most ironic of ironies – acquired a penchant for using those very abusive words in Hindi against mothers and sisters, Virat.
In case your memory is fading, kindly allow me to remind you of two incidents in particular:
Yes, it was wrong of the unruly fans to shout out abuses as you walked past them. However, two wrongs don’t make a right, and I would venture that it was even more disgusting to escalate the situation by following up with all sorts of profanities, questioning the original culprit’s sexual proclivities within his very own family. Such comments are hurtful, Virat. You, of all people, should know that.
In the second video, the umpire raises his finger and dares to give you out lbw. I agree that the sheer audacity of this gentleman to dismiss you – let alone draw breath in your esteemed presence – is most grating. Expect him to be quietly ushered out of the umpiring circuit, even allowing for the fact that the relatively innocuous delivery was almost certainly crashing on to leg stump.
There is no doubt that you are an exceptionally talented batsman, Virat. In my humble opinion, you are the most talented young batsman in world cricket, let alone India.
However, talent alone does not make a man. Class, humility, and respect make a man. And time and again, you have proven yourself to be an insolent child.
The ‘inexperience’ argument no longer washes with any of us. You are 23 years old, and have been playing international cricket for four years. How long will you require to ‘learn’ what is painfully obvious to the vast majority of your peers?
Instead of offering an apology, sermonising the masses and playing the victim with your sanctimonious tweets only serves to further highlight your hypocrisy, increasing our head-scratching to levels not seen since Sehwag woke up one day and wondered where his hair had disappeared to.
Sadly, it is a reality of the game that whilst your team is plumbing the depths of cricketing lows, you will not always be deified. People will not always greet you on the boundary with garlands of roses, and they might not even reach over a boundary hoarding in a futile attempt to kiss your feet. You will get flak, and people will say nasty things. But, considering that for every barb, you have numerous fan clubs around the world, any insult – no matter how vile – should be water off a duck’s back.
I tried really hard to like you, Virat. I really did.
Love,
A former fan.
(Nishant Joshi is the editor of AlternativeCricket.com, and The Alternative Cricket Almanack 2011. AlternativeCricket.com is currently developing a scholarship for young Afghan cricketers. You can follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/alternativecricket) and Twitter (twitter.com/altcricket)
(This article is reproduced with permission from AlternativeCricket.com. AlternativeCricket is currently developing a scholarship for young Afghan cricketers. You can follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/alternativecricket) and Twitter (twitter.com/altcricket)
