Robin Uthappa Defends Virat Kohli Amidst Allegations, Praises His Evolution and Career

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has come to the defense of Virat Kohli following allegations made by Amit Mishra. Mishra had criticized Kohli, claiming the former India captain failed to clarify his future in the team and suggesting that fame had significantly changed him.

In response, Uthappa praised Kohli for his remarkable evolution from a young Delhi cricketer to a legendary figure in the sport. Reflecting on Kohli's journey, Uthappa highlighted the transformation of Kohli from a brash young player into a seasoned and respected cricketer. "I have actually seen Virat evolve from a brash young Delhi boy to an evolved human being. The evolution has been quite tremendous. Today he's reaping the rewards of what he had sown 15 years ago," Uthappa said on cricket.com/tv.

Uthappa further lauded Kohli for his unwavering self-belief and conviction. He recalled how Kohli's early confidence might have seemed excessive to some but now makes perfect sense given his extraordinary career achievements. "One of the things that has always stood out about Cheeku is his conviction in himself. When you listen to a young 19-year-old Virat Kohli talking about himself, it might seem outlandish. But fast forward 10 years, and it all makes sense," Uthappa added.

In related news, Kohli recently announced his retirement from T20 Internationals following India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory in the West Indies. Despite a slow start to the tournament, Kohli delivered a match-winning 76 off 59 balls in the final, earning the Player of the Match award. He retires as the second-highest run-scorer in T20Is with 4,188 runs and the top run-scorer in T20 World Cups with 1,292 runs.