'He plays pantomime villain at times' - David Lloyd praises Virat Kohli's gesture towards English duo in Birmingham

Former England coach David Lloyd has praised former India skipper Virat Kohli for his gesture towards the England batters Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow after the end of the rescheduled Test match between England and India held recently. To note, the Three Lions completed a resounding victory over the visitors after chasing more than 350 runs during the last innings of the match.

Notably, it was Kohli who was seen being involved in a heated conversation with Bairstow during the first innings of the match. However, Kohli’s plan to have a word with Bairstow backfired as the right-handed batter absolutely went berserk against the Indian bowlers and stroked excellent centuries in both innings. He was also adjudged player of the match for his vital performance.

The on-field scenes at the end of the game were glorious: Lloyd

“I thought the on-field scenes at the conclusion of the game were glorious, with India’s players congratulating Root and Jonny Bairstow and recognizing the epic job they had done,” Lloyd wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.

“Special mention for Virat Kohli who at times plays the pantomime villain, but who had a special word with both players. I like that,” he wrote.

Having said that, I do wonder where the line is and who draws it. Sportsmanship, banter, boorish behaviour, insults, abuse – we saw everything on day four,” Lloyd wrote.

“Cricket is a non-contact sport, but if a player feels the need to engage another, my advice is: take up cage fighting and have a proper go. Let’s see what you’re really made of,” he added.

After the Test series has ended, team India will now take on England in a three-match T20I series slated to start on July 7 (Thursday). While team India will be led by their permanent skipper Rohit Sharma, England will be under the new leadership of Jos Buttler. Both teams will want to give their best in upcoming fixtures and grab the series.