IPL 2024: Gavaskar bashes Kohli over ‘outside noise’ remarks - ‘We don’t have agendas, we speak what we see’

Veteran batter Sunil Gavaskar comes down hard on Virat Kohli for disregarding cricket pundits and experts with his‘outside noise’remarks. Kohli was instrumental in helping RCB complete a double over GT the other night at home this season but had to face wrath for replying to commentators and experts questioning his T20 strike rate.

FollowingRCB’snine-wicket win over lastyear’sfinalist in an away clash earlier, Kohli said all that matters to him is winning the game for his team, adding he wonders if all those who question his T20 strike rate have ever been in his shoes. The former RCB captain continued by saying that all the‘outside noise’doesn’tbother him anymore as he and those playing know whatit’slike to be out there in the middle.

“For me,it'sabout winning the games for the team, andthere'sa reason whyyou'vedone it for 15 years;you'vedone this day in and day out, andyou'vewon games for your teams.I'mnotquitesure that if youhaven'tbeen in that situation yourself, to sit and talk about the game in the box,"Kohli said after helping RCB win against GT in Ahmedabad.

Gavaskar bashes Indiastar

Replying toKohli’sremarks, Gavaskar said ifhe’snot that concerned, why is he even replying? The former India captain added that he is unsure of what other experts have to say aboutKohli’s‘questionable’T20 strike rate; for as long as he is concerned, Gavaskar would question anyone who opens the innings and plays at a strike rate of 118 and then gets out in the 14th or 15th over, leaving his team in a nowhere position.

"Commentators questionedonlywhen his strike rate was 118.I'mnot too sure. Idon'twatch too many matches, so Idon'tknow what the other commentators have said otherwise. But if you come and open and then have a strike of 118 when you get out in the 14th or the 15th over, I mean, if you want applause for that,that'sa little bitdifferent.That'sdifferent,"said Gavaskar on Star Sports.

Gavaskar continued by saying as experts and as someone who has played the game, they know what they are talking about. He added that expertsdon’thave agendas and say what they see.

"All these guys talk about,'Ohwedon'tcare about outside noise'.Then why are you replying to any outside noiseor whatever it is? We all played a bit of cricket, not a lot of cricket. Wedon'thave agendas. We speak about what we see. Wedon'tnecessarily have any likes and dislikes. Even if we have likes and dislikes, we actually speak on what is happening,"Gavaskar continued.

“For you to show the person belittling yourowncommentators,I'mnot surethat'sagreatthing.You need to realise you have shown it enough times,everybody'sgot the message. I would be very disappointed if you show itonce more,”he concluded.