Virat Kohli is known for his aggressive nature on the field but handling his responsibilities in a good manner. And, many times his verbal confrontations on the field made headlines as well.
In the rescheduled 2022 Test in Birmingham, Kohli, the former India captain, engaged in aggressive sledging with England’s Jonny Bairstow on Day 3 of the match.
Amid India’s dominant performance in the first two days, leaving England trailing by over 300 runs. In the initial session of Day 3, Kohli attempted to provoke Bairstow through verbal taunts.
The Indian fielder approached the England batter, and on the stump mic, he was heard saying: “Shut up, just stand and bat.”
Moreover, Kohli gestured with a finger on his lips and pointed rudely at Bairstow. The England batsman expressed displeasure with the on-field noise, prompting the on-field umpires to intervene and diffuse the situation. On Day 2, Kohli attempted to sledge Bairstow using the name of New Zealand bowler Tim Southee. Despite Kohli’s verbal attempts, Bairstow responded strongly with the bat, scoring an impressive 106 off 140 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes.