Team India captain Virat Kohli finally has broken his silence on the Mohammad Shami row, saying that attacking people over religion is the most pathetic thing one can do. Incidentally, Shami was subjected to vicious online trolls after his below-par return against Pakistan last Sunday.
While Shami received support from all corners, Indian cricketers from the T20 World Cup squad remained mum. However, Kohli has finally responded to the racial slurs meted out to Mohammad Shami. Addressing a press conference on the eve of the New Zealand clash, Virat Kohli said:
“There is a good reason why we are playing on the field and not some bunch of spineless people on social media that have no courage to actually speak to any individual in person. This is the lowest level of human form, attacking someone over religion is the most pathetic thing human beings can do.”
Proud 🇮🇳
Strong 💪
Upward and onward 👍 pic.twitter.com/5NqknojVZj— BCCI (@BCCI) October 26, 2021
Virat Kohli added:
“Never thought of discriminating on basis of religion. That is a very sacred thing. Our brotherhood and friendship can’t be shaken… and these things can’t infiltrate. I give credit to people who understand us.”
As a group, we understand how we need to stick together – Virat Kohli
Kohli further slammed the trolls saying that they don’t have any idea what the players go through inside the cricket field. He also asserted that as a group the players know how to rally behind each other and there is no changing that.
“We are doing what we are doing on the field and none of these people (social media trolls) are even in the vicinity to even imagine doing something like that. They do not have the courage or the spine to do that. That is how I see things,” Virat Kohli continued.
The kind of pressure, struggles & sacrifices a player has to go through for his country & his people is immeasurable. @MdShami11 is a star & indeed of the best bowlers in the world
Please respect your stars. This game should bring people together & not divide 'em #Shami #PAKvIND pic.twitter.com/3p70Ia8zxf
— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) October 26, 2021
“As a group, we understand how we need to stick together and how we need to back individuals and how need to focus on our strengths and whether people on the outside portray the fact that India cannot afford to lose a game of cricket is none of our business because we play sport and we understand how sport goes. So, how people think on the outside adds no value whatsoever. We never focussed on it and we will never focus on it going forward either,” he concluded.
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