Virat Kohli supporters ripped into a Rohit Sharma fan who called the Delhi-born cricketer a “coward” for taking too much time in getting set at the start of his innings in T20Is cricket. The Rohit Sharma admirer claimed that Virat Kohli always needs more than 20 deliveries to score his first boundary in T20Is and that is why the India captain had no option but to take risks to provide some momentum to the side at the start of a contest. However, Virat Kohli fans were livid with his comments and slammed him right, left, and center before responding with a counter-argument that featured the former India skipper's stats in T20Is.

 

Earlier on Thursday, Virat Kohli surpassed Universe Boss Chris Gayle to emerge as the second-highest run-scorer in T20 World Cups.

Virat Kohli who made a scintillating 82 not out off 53 balls to secure the Indian cricket team's sensational victory over Pakistan in their tournament opener on Sunday, carried his red-hot form in their second fixture as he smacked an unbeaten 44-ball 62 against the Netherlands at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Virat Kohli now has 989 runs in 23 T20 World Cup Games and needs only 11 runs to become just the second man after Sri Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene to score 1000 runs in the prestigious competition.

While Mahela Jayawardene accumulated 1016 runs in 31 matches, Chris Gayle went on to compile a total of 965 runs in 33 games.

MOST RUNS IN T20 WORLD CUPS

Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 1016 runs in 31 matches
Virat Kohli (India) – 989 runs in 23 matches
Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 965 runs in 33 matches
Rohit Sharma (India) – 904 runs in 35 matches
Tilakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) – 897 runs in 35 matches

In addition to going past Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli also broke Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar‘s record for the most number of fifties in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) nations by an India batter.

It was Virat Kohli's 49th half-century in these countries while Sachin Tendulkar ended his career with 48 fifties in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.

Virat Kohli is yet to get out in the current edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia. He has already taken his tally of runs to 144 in 2 matches.

Meanwhile, former India coach Ravi Shastri said that Virat Kohli has shut down his critics with his performance in the T20 World Cup.

“In all my years of playing and watching India vs Pakistan, those two sixes off Haris Rauf are two of the greatest shots played by an Indian batsman. The only comparison is Sachin Tendulkar's six off Shoaib Akhtar in Centurion in 2003 World Cup. These are two of the greatest cricketers of our time. Tendulkar's knock had some of the magnificent shots played in white-ball cricket against Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar. And then this Kohli knock. These two are the biggest knocks I have seen where quality fast bowling has been taken apart,” Ravi Shastri told the Indian Express.

“Perhaps, it's best to start with a feeling that I didn't have when I was watching the greatest T20 knock by Virat: I wasn't surprised. I was waiting for this to happen. I knew this would happen in Australia. Just check his record here – the pitches suit him plus he loves playing on these grounds and in front of the fans here. His record against Pakistan has always been good and it was a big situation: cometh the hour, cometh the stage, cometh the man,” Ravi Shastri added.

“I got emotional when it was all unfolding. I have seen what he has gone through in the last couple of years. We all know the recent context. Did I have something to say to him at the end? Frankly, not a thing. We are a country with short memories; topi masters of the world! We flip, change in two minutes. Kohli knows what I feel. I know what he feels. What's there to be said? Not a thing,” the former India all-rounder stated.

“For the cricketing world, he was a superstar even before the knock; now let them decide what he is to them. I am not going to put in words for them. What's next for Virat Kohli? I have no expectations, just let him enjoy his life. The media and critics have put enough pressure on this uncut diamond and he showed who he is. Chup kar diya na sabko?! (He has silenced everyone, right),” Ravi Shastri concluded.

After powering India to back-to-back wins against Pakistan and the Netherlands, Virat Kohli would look to secure their third successive victory against the South Africans in Perth on Sunday.