File photo of Virat Kohli© AFP
Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli has been a bit of a divisive figure off late with some ex-cricketers claiming that he has changed a lot over time. However, fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who was Kohli's long-time teammate, rubbished any such claims and said that they still enjoy the same relationship. The duo have been close friends since their youth and in a recent interview with MyKhel, Ishant said that the responsibility of being the captain may have brought some minor changes but he added that people are mistaken when they believe that fame and time has changed the star batter.
"I don't know whoever said that he [Kohli] has changed. But with me, the kind of relationship we share, he never changed for me. We've been playing together since U-17, so, you know, we are 36 now, I think he'll be 36 soon. So, we've been playing together for, I don't know, for even, you know, more than 10 years, 15 years. So, he hasn't changed for me. I can pick up my phone, call him anytime, he calls me anytime."
"I think, obviously if you're a captain, there are certain responsibilities that come. You don't have to see him as a captain, you have to see him as an individual. So, if he's a captain, he has to look after 15 players. So, he can't only focus on one player who's not playing. So, I think maybe that's why people have mistaken him that he has changed," Ishant added.
"When he was captain, whenever I was not playing, I could go to his room and talk about why I'm not playing, even why I'm playing, we strategized. So, I think it's all about communication. I had a very good communication level with him because I know that he's my friend at the same time, you know, been playing for so long. So, he hasn't changed for me," he concluded.