Virat Kohli had a notable reaction to the New York crowd’s chant during the T20 World Cup. Despite the challenges posed by New York’s controversial drop-in pitch and Florida’s neglected outfield, which highlighted the ICC’s planning flaws for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States, the Asian crowd in the country relished watching their cricket stars, including Kohli, in action.
Videos frequently appeared on social media, showcasing the former Indian captain as a crowd favorite. On Sunday, after India’s victories over Ireland, Pakistan, and the USA in their Group A matches, a video surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) showing fans at Nassau County International Stadium chanting in Hindi:
“Hamara neta kaisa ho, Virat Kohli jaisa ho” (How should our politicians be? Just like Virat Kohli). Kohli, fielding near the boundary, acknowledged the crowd’s support by tipping his hat and waving.
Fans chanted 'Hamara neta kaisa ho, Virat Kohli jaisa ho' in New York. 😂❤️ pic.twitter.com/9veJ8oGWeh
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 15, 2024
Virat Kohli’s performance in the T20 World Cup didn’t meet expectations, especially after his impressive IPL 2024 season where he scored 741 runs in 15 innings and won the Orange Cap.
Promoted to opener to leverage his IPL form, the 35-year-old only managed five runs in three innings, marking his worst start in a T20 World Cup, including a golden duck against the USA.
Despite this, India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour expressed no concern over Kohli’s form as India progressed to the Super Eight stage.
“I love it when every time I come, there is a question about Virat Kohli, whether he is doing well or not. No concern at all,”
Rathour stated in the post-match press conference after the game against Canada was washed out. He emphasized Kohli’s superb batting form from the IPL, noting that a few dismissals don’t change that.
