Virat Kohli says 'don't live in India if you like batsmen from other countries'

Kohli was reading out and responding to tweets and messages on his app

Virat Kohli says 'don't live in India if you like batsmen from other countries' [File] Virat Kohli | Reuters

Virat Kohli has found himself in fresh controversy following his response that people shouldn't live in India “if they like other countries”. He was reading out and responding to tweets and messages on Instagram in his recently released app.

“...Personally , I see nothing special in his batting. I enjoy watching English and Australian batsmen more than these Indians,” Kohli is seen reading out the message posted by a user in the video, which is now doing the rounds in social media.

To this, Kohli said, “I don't think that you should live in India then, you should go and live somewhere else, no? Why are you living in our country and loving other countries? But I don't mind you not liking me, but I don't think you should live in our country and like other things. Get your priorities right.”

Some social media users lauded Kohli for his “befitting reply” to those being disrespectful to the national team while others slammed the skipper for telling people, who have a different preference, to leave the country. Many even pointed out that Kohli himself preferred to get married in a foreign country, asking if Indian venues were not good enough for him.

This is not the first time that Kohli has shown that he is not able to take criticism as is evident from some of the press conferences in the past. Earlier this year, after India lost the first two Tests against South Africa, he snapped at a reporter who questioned the team selection. Then, during India's tour of England, a journalist asked if this was indeed the best Indian team in the last 15 years as claimed by coach Ravi Shastri. Kohli, in his agitation, countered if the journalist thought so, to which the scribe said he is not sure. The Indian skipper retorted, “You're not sure? That's your opinion. Thank you.”

So, can the Indian skipper really stand by his statement that people “should go and live somewhere else” if they love other countries?