Cricketer-turned-expert Robin Uthappa has admitted that his not so candid comments during an interview dating back in 2019 had an unintended fallout impacting his personal equation with Virat Kohli. Six years ago, the former CSK batter heavily criticized the former India captain on his handling of Ambati Rayudu during India's ODI World Cup selection ahead of the 2019 showpiece event. The Hyderabad batter was long seen at the primary contender for the number four slot, was shockingly left out in the squad in favor of Vijay Shankar, whose '3D qualities' were given as an explanation for the snub of Rayudu.
Uthappa's strong negative comments on Kohli's captaincy grabbed eyeballs, but the former opener now admits the fallout affected him personally. Both players have rarely spoken during IPL games or after them in post-match conferences.
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"In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat. That interview was meant to be about me. I was asked a question that I spoke to. I didn't take into consideration at that point the sentiments of Virat," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
"My relationship or my camaraderie with Virat was impacted by that. My learning from that was, when I spoke to him about it, I acknowledged that I should have spoken to him before, even if it was what I believed."
Remarks not directed at Virat Kohli, but at broader leadership style: Uthappa
The former CSK player further stated that the criticism he dished out to Kohli was not a personal attack on him but at the broader leadership style he observed.
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"I didn't speak about my experience with Virat. I spoke about what I saw one of my closest friends experience under his leadership. Everyone is entitled to their own style of leadership, and everyone is entitled to have their opinion. But I should not have spoken to him about it before I spoke on national television. That was my learning," he said.
Notably, the expert's interview was way too blunt. In that Lallantop interview, he claimed the RCB icon could be a "cut-throat" leader. "If he didn't like anyone, they were cut. Rayudu is the prime example. He had World Cup clothes, a kit bag, everything ready, thinking he would play. But you shut the door on him. That wasn't fair," Uthappa had said.
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The former India opener had also admitted that while he had the right to express his opinions, the episode thought him a valuable lesson about sensitivity and communication within the cricketing circle.
