Former India captain Virat Kohli has previously used his rage as a weapon to score massive centuries and frequently advance the cause of his side while fielding. Many of the Indian team’s current players started their international careers while Kohli was captain, thus there may have been times when they experienced his anger.
During India’s 2018 tour of England, star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was one such player who made his international debut.
Not only are Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli two of Team India’s most successful match-winners, but they are also close friends both on and off the field. When Pant first joined the team, the former Indian captain, however, frightened him a little.
Before the IPL 2019 season began, a video from the Delhi Capitals’ Twitter account showed Rishabh Pant participating in a game of “Rapid Fire.” The then-21-year-old described in the video how amiable and approachable the entire Indian squad was.
However, the youngster also acknowledged that he used to be a little more careful if skipper Kohli was in a fit of anger.
“I am not scared of anyone but Virat Bhaiya ke gusse se dar lagta hai (I’m scared of Virat Kohli’s anger).” said Pant.
However, Pant claimed that Kohli will only grow upset when a player has acted inappropriately, thus it becomes a technique to avoid repeating the same error. He added “If you are doing everything correctly, then why should he (Kohli) get angry? But if you make a mistake and someone gets angry with you, it’s good because you only learn from your mistakes.”
In the same video, Rishabh Pant also discussed his love of shopping and the compromises he has had to make in order to pursue his passion for eating. Being a Delhi guy, Pant had always enjoyed eating, but he also realised that the Indian team required him to maintain a particular level of fitness.
