Usman Khawaja, a seasoned Australian opener, admitted that Virat Kohli’s variety of personalities make him enjoy watching him play more than before. The Pakistan-born player believes the right-hander has drastically cooled off since starting a family, though.
Virat Kohli, considered by many as one of the best all-format players of this era, also exhibits a vibrant personality on the field. Throughout his career, the 34-year-old has engaged in on-field altercations with renowned international stars like David Warner, Steve Smith, James Anderson, and James Faulkner.
While speaking to Fox Cricket, Usman Khawaja made an observation about the unique playing style of India’s young generation of cricketers. He credited Kohli for their transformed mindset. However, Khawaja also noted that Kohli exhibits playfulness on the field.
“When I watched them as a kid, (India) always seemed very placid … but the younger generation plays it differently. They play the game still respectfully, but they’re not afraid to back down from a fight. Particularly when Virat Kohli was captain, he brought that in.”
“I enjoy watching him play more than ever now because he still plays it hard, but he also has a joke on the field, even when we play against him. He’s calmed down a little bit, maybe it’s having a child and starting a family, but this is probably my most enjoyable Virat Kohli in my opinion, because he’s still a gun. Everyone loves watching them play, everyone loves playing against them, but also everyone loves beating them too.”
Usman Khawaja
The 34-year-old is expected to play a crucial role as India’s key batsman in the upcoming 2023 World Cup. With the Men in Blue aiming to break their decade-long drought in ICC trophies, his performance will be instrumental in determining their success.
Usman Khawaja: Virat Kohli and company faces massive pressure daily
The 36-year-old believes India must have a perfect World Cup since even a minor error might seriously harm their campaign. Khawaja continued by emphasizing the extent of the strain on the Men in Blue, Khawaja added:
“They literally have the most pressure in the world. They have the biggest following in world cricket. The pressure on them day in day out is massive, so if they stumble, if they lose a game, if they’re on the ropes, I know the fans can turn real quick. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword.”
“When the pressure cooker comes later on in the tournament when it’s knock-outs, or even at the start, if something doesn’t go right, they’re going to have a lot of pressure on them, so they’re going to have to do everything right.”
Usman Khawaja
On October 8 in Chennai, India’s World Cup campaign will get underway against Australia.