‘It's a very weak statement’ – Kapil Dev not happy with Virat Kohli’s ‘we were not brave enough’ comment

Team India’s campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 has been horrendous so far. After suffering a humiliating 10-wicket defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening fixture, Virat Kohli’s men went down against New Zealand by eight wickets. These back-to-back defeats have also hampered India’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals to a great extent. Like many members of the cricket fraternity, Kapil Dev is also not amused with the Men in Blue.

However, the former Indian skipper is also concerned about Virat Kohli’s approach in the post-most discussion. Admitting that his side got entirely outplayed by the Kiwis, the Indian captain said his team wasn’t brave enough neither with the bat or the ball. Dev isn’t happy with Kohli’s statement as he believes such words can hamper the morale and self-belief of the team.

We all know that Virat Kohli has the hunger and desire to win games: Kapil Dev

“Obviously, it’s a very weak statement from a player of Virat Kohli’s stature. We all know that he has the hunger and desire to win games for the team. But, if the body language of the team and thought process of the captain is not up to the mark, it’s very difficult to lift the mood of the players inside the dressing room,” the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said during a discussion on ABP news.

Coming to Kohli’s statement, the Indian skipper also admitted his side didn’t come up with a précised plan. “I don’t think we were brave enough with bat or ball. We didn’t have much to defend but we weren’t brave when we walked onto the field. Whenever we looked to take the game on, we lost a wicket. That happens in T20 cricket when some hesitation set in,” the 32-year-old said after the match.

Meanwhile, India’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals seem highly unlikely at the moment. Alongside winning their remaining fixtures handsomely, the Men in Blue will also have to depend upon other match results to go through. The inaugural-edition champions are slated to take on Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia in their remaining group-stage games. As India’s net run rate is also on the lower side, they must aim to all these encounters with a significant margin.