Virat Kohli posted a cryptic Instagram story as a possible retort to criticism around him following his dismissal to Mitchell Starc in the 2023 World Test Championship final at the Kia Oval.
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Kohli was dismissed off a scorching delivery from Starc on the second day of the final, leaving India at 71-4 in response to Australia’s score of 469. The delivery was hailed by many to be “unplayable”, with the timing of Kohli’s dismissal, on 14, pushing India into further trouble.
Even after his dismissal, cameras refused to leave Kohli in the pavilion. When he was captured enjoying a meal alongside Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan in the dressing room, a meme-fest began on Twitter.
As is so often the case with Indian fans, the criticism was instant and scathing, and quickly stretched into unwarranted territory. Pictures of Kohli eating soon descended into that category. The following pictures did the rounds on social media.
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) June 8, 2023
On Friday morning, Kohli posted a tweet snapshot of American self-help author Mark Manson on his Instagram Story, which read: “You must develop the ability to be disliked in order to free yourself from the prisons of other people’s opinions”.
While there was no direct context to the Story provided by Kohli, it was a possible dig at the critics and social media trolls who had targetted him after his dismissal, with various accounts having shared pictures of him enjoying his food as India’s situation worsened in the Test, while even questioning his commitment to the team.
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Given Kohli’s social media power – he recently became the first Indian to hit 250 million followers on Instagram – the message would have surely reached those concerned.
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