“Intent was not to speak about him”- Robin Uthappa on how his statements impacted his relationship with Virat Kohli

In a candid interview, Robin Uthappa discussed his past comments that inadvertently strained his friendship with Virat Kohli. In that podcast, Uthappa attacked Kohli's captaincy interview and his handling of Ambati Rayudu, who was left off of India's 2019 ODI World Cup roster.

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Rayudu was set to be India's finest batter at the controversial number four post as they were ready for the 2019 World Cup. The BCCI selectors ignored Rayudu's Indian performances in favor of all-rounder Vijay Shankar.

Uthappa had publicly chastised Kohli's team for handling Yuvraj Singh's and Rayudu's departures. The 2011 World Cup champion Yuvraj Singh retired in 2019 without receiving a last farewell after being cut from India's squad in 2017.

Uthappa clarified that the conversation was meant to be about him and not Kohli. His remarks, however, strained their connection and helped him understand how crucial it is to have private conversations about one's personal beliefs before voicing them.

"In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat. That interview was meant to be about me. I was asked a question, which I spoke to. I didn't take into consideration at that point the sentiments of Virat or the fact that even if this is what I believe, he should know what I believe, and that gives me the right to voice that. My relationship, or my camaraderie, with Virat was impacted by that. I saw that for what it was, just based on that one-on-one relationship. My learning from that was, when I spoke to him about it, I acknowledged that I should have spoken to him before, even if it was what I believed," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

“Should’ve spoken to him beforehand”- Robin Uthappa on Virat Kohli

Uthappa, a member of the Indian squad that won the 2007 T20 World Cup, added that although he had the freedom to express his opinions, he eventually came to the realization that he had already spoken privately with Kohli before making his opinions public.

"I didn't speak about my experience with Virat. I spoke about what I saw one of my closest friends experience under his leadership. It wasn't even his leadership; it was the style of leadership. Everyone is entitled to have their own style of leadership, and everyone is entitled to have their opinion. I felt, at least for my relationship with him, I should have spoken to him about it before I spoke about it on national television. That was my learning from that, and I think that sensitivity we must extend to cricketers or people in the same fraternity," he added.

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In the 2019 World Cup semi-final, New Zealand defeated India. In 2022, Virat Kohli resigned as captain of India and is currently retired from both Test and Twenty20 International cricket.

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