Virat Kohli slams broadcasters for discussing his 'favourite chole bhature place': 'You can’t have that in matches'

Virat Kohli in action during the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy (BCCI Photo)

Virat Kohli is one of the biggest athletes of India with his popularity soaring across the globe. He is the most followed cricketer on social media, which currently stands at 270 million and counting.

Given the enigmatic personality it is obvious that many fans are interested in knowing Kohli beyond the pitch. In doing so commentators also sometimes shed light on his early days in the cricketing career, sharing many unheard stories, all welcomed by fans. However, the cricketer finally chose to address the same while speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit.

In doing so, Kohli didn't mince any words and slammed the broadcasters for discussing his personal life rather than focusing on cricket. “A broadcast show needs to talk about the game and not what I ate yesterday for lunch or my favourite chole-bhature place in Delhi,” Kohli said at the summit. “You can’t have that in cricket matches. Rather, you could talk about what an athlete is going through.”

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Kohli advocated to have the right discussion as he feels it is a collective responsibility to help India move towards a sport-forward nation. “We are working towards India becoming a sports-forward nation. We have the vision. We have the groundwork happening today. It should be a collective responsibility of everyone involved. It’s not just about the infrastructure or the people who infuse the money. It’s also about the people who watch. We need education,” he added.

Kohli on T20I ambitions

The talismanic batter had announced his retirement from T20Is after helping India lift their second world title in the format in West Indies last year. However, during the interaction at the summit, Kohli also hinted at retirement U-turn after being tempted to win an Olympic gold for the country.

“When I heard the news, I was happy. The T20 leagues that are played all over the world, including the IPL (Indian Premier League), have played a massive role. It’s a great opportunity. Getting to be Olympic champions would be a great thing. The first of its kind. I am sure we will be somewhere close to the medal,” Kohli said.