Former Indian fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has come to the defence of Virat Kohli amid accusations of selfishness during the 2023 World Cup. Prasad, taking a clever dig at critics, referred to Kohli as "selfish" but emphasized that Kohli's focus was solely on winning to fulfil the dreams of millions.
Kohli had faced criticism during the game against Bangladesh in Pune for what some perceived as consuming deliveries to achieve his century. Similar allegations arose during the match against New Zealand. The trend continued in the game against South Africa in Kolkata when Kohli seemed to struggle with acceleration. In the end, he remained unbeaten on 101 off 120 deliveries on a challenging pitch, helping India reach a competitive total of 326.
Venkatesh Prasad, 54, took to social media and addressed the criticisms by saying, "Hearing funny arguments about Virat Kohli being Selfish and obsessed with personal milestones. Yes Kohli is selfish, selfish enough to follow the dream of a billion people, selfish enough to strive for excellence even after achieving so much, selfish enough to set new benchmarks, selfish enough to ensure his team wins. Yes, Kohli is selfish."
During the innings break, Kohli provided insights into his batting approach, explaining the difficulties of the pitch. He credited Rohit Sharma for setting a breezy start for the team and clarified that his role was to bat deep while the other players batted around him. Kohli acknowledged that the wicket had become slower as the game progressed, necessitating a cautious approach. He also praised Shreyas Iyer's hitting ability. The strategy paid off as India later bowled out South Africa for a mere 83 runs, securing the top spot on the points table.
