Virat Kohli’s On-Field Behaviour Is Immature, Says Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada opened up on a recent clash with Virat Kohli during the IPL 2019 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The South African pace spearhead has started the war of words before the India-South Africa World Cup encounter.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Rajiv Karambalkar‏)

South African pace spearhead, Kagiso Rabada has said that Indian captain, Virat Kohli’s on-field behaviour is immature and that he cannot take his words back.

The 24-year old opened up on a recent clash involving him and the talismanic indian batsman during the IPL 2019 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“I was just thinking about the game plan, really, but Virat, he hit me for a boundary and then he had a word. And then when you give it back to him, he gets angry. I don’t get the guy,” Rabada told ESPNCricinfo.

“Maybe he (Virat) does it because it gets him going, but that comes across as very immature for me. He is a phenomenal player but he can’t take the abuse. But those things can’t distract you.”

Kagiso Rabada 

When Delhi Capitals took on Royal Challengers Bangalore at their home, Kohli had hit Rabada for a four. At the end of the over, Rabada and Kohli were involved in a heated exchange of words.

South Africa will face India at the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground in Southampton on Wednesday, 5 June.

Both Kohli and Rabada will be vital to their team’s success and from a fan perspective it would be great to see both go up against each other.

The Johannesburg-born pacer added that he loves to get involved in the verbal duels, which would make him deliver with more intent.

“In fact, for me, it just wakes me up, if anything. If somebody comes at me and says, “I’m going to hit you. I’m going to clobber you. You are soft,” it wakes me up because – it’s a fight-or-flight response. In the next over you bowled with a bit more pace into Kohli’s body, and he found it hard to get away. Did that exchange rev you up to come back hard and push him onto the back foot?,” Rabada added.