India’s patron, Virat Kohli, has softened over the years, but if prompted, he accepts the challenge and thrives under pressure. One clearly remembers his duel with West Indies fast pitcher Kesrick Williams, and holding Kohli’s notebook against him. Now West India has come out and shared their side of the story.
It all started in the first T20I between the two teams last year, where, chasing a goal of 208, Kohli played blind. “In the first game, when Kohli came in at bat, he walked right up to me and said, ‘Hey, you caught me in Jamaica the last time you played me, it’s not going to happen here. I thought this happened in 2017, this is 2019, did this guy really study this? It was like I couldn’t believe this guy, ”Williams told Firstpost.
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“So I threw a ball, someone put it on the side of the leg and I was running for the ball, but he was running for a single and I almost hit him, so I stopped and let him pass, and then he looked at the referee. and I was like ‘what’s going on?’, I’m as a friend, I’m sorry I didn’t do it with a grudge, I didn’t try to meet you. And from there it began. He started saying things that I really don’t want to repeat. He started saying all kinds (of things), I was like ‘Hey dude, can you just back off?’ I was walking back and he was at the end of the non-forward and he was like ‘This is not going to happen today, I’m not going to make you take me out today, never, never will you take me out today.’ I was like, ‘dude, can you shut your mouth and hit? Just bat, just play the game and please leave me alone. ‘ And he said some things.
“He finished the game and wrote to me in his notebook, I don’t know what notebook he had but he wrote to me in it and continued with his antics. He won the game, fair enough. When we are leaving Hyderabad for Kerala, I was in economy class and he in business class, he is looking back, looking at me and smiling and gesturing. I’m like ‘Hey, I’m going to fire you at the next game like for real.’ I said, ‘the next game will be you and me.’ Because I had it on my mind now. I’m like you never beat me again, never at cricket. This is not going to happen again ”.
“In the second game, I was on the edge of the thin leg and he was sitting there looking at me and he was like ‘Kesericcccc.’ I mean, obviously, he beat me in the last game so he can do whatever he wants, he’s on top … ‘Kesriccc’ (it was again), I can’t wait for this guy to come and hit. A wicket falls and I’m like I’m really ready for this guy to come in because I want to get him out with all my might tonight. I’m sure enough that I’ll get him out, ”explained Williams.
“When it came to hitting, he didn’t say much to me. And I took it out. And I could remember that he held a celebration in a series of tests where he bit his lip. And when I dismissed him, the whole crowd fell silent and I just said to the guys, ‘Relax, let’s be quiet and clap for the legend and let him go.’ It’s okay. He’s gone. I let it go’. I pressed my lip and went back. There are no celebrations for him. I don’t want to celebrate. I let it go.”
“Game 3 now, I’m warming up. And the boss (Pollard) said, Kohli is really looking at me there. And I’ll be honest, every ball I throw, every step I take … He’s warming up with his team and his eyes are on me. He came in at bat, I think I understood Rohit, I made that (welcoming) gesture, I looked at him and told him to come. He looked at me and started chirping. I was confident then, I took it out in the last game. The first over was for 14. And the other three balls, I threw Rahul and they weren’t bad. And in my two intermissions before the last one, I tied him (Kohli), ”Williams said.
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“He didn’t score many runs for me, they were just singles. And then in the last over, I felt like I hadn’t thrown much slower balls at him in this game, now I’m going to try to get him out again with a couple of balls left from the last over. And he came in and threw me over the middle of the gate for a six. He looked at me and he was acting like ‘Hey, I hit you again.’ I’m like, dude, I went for 35 for two in the game (it was 1/37) and you hit me a six and you act big and macho. And then Pollard said, ‘Don’t give him that energy, leave him alone, come back.’ I walked back and said ‘Mate, try to beat me’. Now I am confident. At the time, when I went for 60 in that first game, he acted all kinds.
“I have nothing against him. It’s just a joke. Because honestly, that guy is one of the best players in world cricket, “Williams concluded.
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