Virat Kohli sports LA baseball topi, but his heart is Hindustani

Cricket - Second Twenty20 International - Australia v India - Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia - December 6, 2020 India's Virat Kohli REUTERS/Loren Elliott - UP1EGC60QO7VP

When Virat Kohli, wearing a dark LA Dodgers baseball hat, addressed the media over Zoom from a beige looking couch in Adelaide, he symbolized many things. His headgear offered a peek into his worldliness and sense of street style. His statements reflected his Indianness and a sensitivity to the global mood brought on by the pandemic.

When journalists started their questions with “Hi Virat”, the most important man in Indian cricket nodded back in acknowledgment. On one occasion he mumbled a “hello”. At the end of the interaction, Kohli smiled and said “Thanks, cheers.” This showed a basic version of basic courtesy, at the same time an approach where he did not want to expend more energy than necessary.

Kohli, 32, was first asked about Greg Chappell’s recent article on him in the Sydney Morning Herald, in which Sourav Ganguly’s favourite pool-table companion described him as the “most Australian non-Australian cricketer of all time”.

“Kohli is the most Australian non-Australian cricketer of all time. He embodies the new India. As the premier player and captain of the world’s pre-eminent cricket power, he feels an abiding responsibility to the wider game,” Chappell wrote.

In response, Kohli said, "Look, firstly I’d like to say I’ve always been myself. My personality and character is a representation of the new India. It's not a comparison of me being similar to an Australian mindset or anything like that. It's how we have started to stand up as a team.”

At the same time, Kohli said he understood the hype built around him, and Jasprit Bumrah, for this series, much due to their exploits in the past on Aussie terrain and in cricket overall.

“I have been coming here for many years now. It's a wonderful place to play cricket,” Kohli said. “When you play well here, you earn the respect of the public and there is anticipation, wanting to see you play. Similarly with Jasprit as well. Last time, he performed really well, so there is going to be anticipation and excitement to watch him bowl. I understand it’s great for the publicity of the series but we are here to win.”

‘Grit and character’ was another phrase Kohli used a couple of times in the meeting. Five-day cricket brought these qualities to the fore, he said. This was an opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane to show what he’s made of. Rahane will captain the team for the subsequent three Tests after Kohli returns to India after the first Test for the birth of his child.

Indian and Australian teams have brought out the worst in each other – from Sunil Gavaskar’s Melbourne walkout to ‘Monkeygate’, involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh.

Indian and Australian teams have brought out the worst in each other – from Sunil Gavaskar’s Melbourne walkout to ‘Monkeygate’, involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh. But the relationship between this Indian and Australian team is believed to be alright mate. Kohli attributed it to a combination of factors like playing together in the IPL and also a more mature mindset among players due to the pandemic.

“This year made people realise a lot of things,” Kohli said. “Everyone is just happy to be back on the field. The cricket is going to be competitive, there will be banter. Emotions will flare up now and then. But I don’t foresee things getting personal anymore.”