ICC World Cup 2019 | That’s unbelievable sportsmanship from Virat Kohli, says Varun Aaron

06/10/2019

Varun Aaron has applauded Virat Kohli’s wonderful sportsmanship to ask the Indian fans to stop booing Steve Smith and added that it is always great if such things happen on the field. Aaron, who recently played with Smith in the IPL 2019, has also added that Smith is now very hungry to score runs.

Yesterday, in a wonderful gesture, Virat Kohli apologised to Steve Smith on behalf of the Indian fans as sections of the crowd jeered to the former Australian skipper with chants of 'cheater, cheater,' making the rounds when he was fielding at third man near the Vauxhall end. Kohli, who was batting during that time, wasn’t impressed and he came forward to stop the Indian fans. He rather asked them to applaud for him and enjoy the game instead of booing the Aussie.

In the post-match press conference, Kohli said that he didn't want the Indian fans to set a bad example by booing Smith and that touched Varun Aaron, who has recently played with the former Australian skipper for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League and called Kohli’s gesture as a show of “unbelievable sportsmanship”.

“That’s unbelievable sportsmanship. It’s great when such stuff happens on the cricket field. So many youngsters look at him as their idol. And this is something which will go a long way,” Aaron, who is in England now, told SportsCafe in an exclusive chat over Whatsapp.

On the cricketing front, Smith looks hungrier than ever and in the 3 innings in the World Cup so far, he has 18, 73, and 69, apart from the 116, 76, 91*, and 89* in the four previous practice games before the tournament proper. It was significant because, in the one year prior to that, Smith didn’t play ODI cricket and had to be content with the limited T20 games around the world. However, observing him from the close quarters, Aaron said Smith is not going to satiate himself with anything lesser.

“I just feel he’s great batsman. And this break has just made him even more hungry to get out there and score runs,” Aaron concluded.