Kohli Dislikes Crowd Cheering at Dismissals During India vs New Zealand

Virat Kohli has expressed his discomfort with the crowd’s enthusiasm when opposing batsmen get dismissed during his arrival at the crease. Speaking candidly after India’s first ODI victory against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday, the prolific batter revealed that he doesn’t feel good about this particular crowd gesture, drawing parallels to similar reception witnessed during MS Dhoni’s matches.

A Shared Experience with Cricket Icons

“I honestly don’t feel good about it, I’ve seen it with MS too. I understand the crowd gets excited. I just try to keep the focus on the game,” Kohli stated. He acknowledged that while he feels grateful for the crowd’s support and appreciation, he prefers to maintain his concentration on the match objectives. During Chennai Super Kings’ IPL matches, even CSK fans celebrate the wicket that brings Dhoni to the crease, highlighting this peculiar phenomenon in Indian cricket culture.

Missing Century but Securing Victory

Despite scoring an impressive 93 runs—just seven short of his 85th international century—Kohli emphasized that milestones aren’t his primary focus. He explained that tactical awareness guided his approach, adjusting his batting strategy based on match situations rather than personal achievements. “If we were batting first, I’d have gone harder,” he explained, highlighting how India’s chasing requirements influenced his game plan.

KL Rahul’s explosive 29 not out off 21 balls ultimately secured India’s four-wicket victory, turning the tide after Kohli’s dismissal. In a remarkable individual achievement, Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest player reaching 28,000 international runs, accomplishing the feat in just 624 innings—20 fewer than Tendulkar’s record.