Kohli Slams those who trolled Shami
"I have rightly mentioned before. To me, attacking someone over his religion is the most pathetic thing that a human being can do.
Dubai: India captain Virat Kohli on Saturday backed pacer Mohammed Shami after he was trolled on social media for being expensive in the last match against arch-rivals Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup October 24.
“I have rightly mentioned before. To me, attacking someone over his religion is the most pathetic thing that a human being can do.
“Everyone has the right to voice their opinion, but I personally have never ever discriminated anyone over religion. That is a very sacred and a personal thing of human being that should be left there,” he told reporters on the eve of the Super 12 encounter of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against New Zealand.
Kohli called the trolls “a bunch of spineless people on social media who have no courage to do what the players are doing in the middle”.
The India skipper also said the trolling “literally is the lowest level of human potential and it has become a source of entertainment”.
This kind of drama, Kohli said, is created based on people’s frustration and lack of self-confidence and compassion, and hence they find it so amusing to go after people.
Also, the team is least bothered of ruminating on these ugly episodes, but stay focussed on what the task is on hands, Kohli suggested.
“In this context, we as a group, understand how we need to stick together … how we need to focus on our strength. What people think outside has no value whatsoever within our group. We never focus on it because people do not understand what it takes to do the job on the field at the international level,” he said.
On Sunday’s encounter, Kohli said batting all-rounder Hardik Pandya is fine after being hit on his shoulder while batting against Pakistan.
Asked whether bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur could be inducted into the side on Sunday, Kohli said, “He (Shardul) is a guy who is definitely in our plans, constantly making a case for himself. He is someone who can bring a lot of value to the team. What role he plays, or where, is something that I can’t talk about right now.”
