World Cup 2019: Kagiso Rabada takes a dig at 'immature' Virat Kohli ahead of India-South Africa clash
South Africa's bowling spearhead Kagiso Rabada started off a battle of words by calling Indian captain Virat Kohli 'immature'. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Rabada said, "Virat hit me for a boundary and then he had a word. And then when you give it back to him, he gets angry. I don’t get the guy. Maybe he does it because it gets him going, but that comes across as very immature for me. He is a phenomenal player but he can’t take the abuse. But those things can’t distract you."
The comment comes ahead of India's World Cup opening clash on June 5 against the Proteas. While it is India's opening game, South Africa will have already played their second game against Bangladesh before that particular clash. This reflects the importance of the game against India.
The incident which prompted Rabada to come out with such a headline-grabbing comment can be traced back to an IPL game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. It is a case of Kagiso Rabada giving Virat Kohli a dose of his own medicine.
Virat Kohli is well-known for his uninhibited aggression and passion for the game. So, it is not surprising to see that Kagiso Rabada has come up with such a statement at this juncture. The tearaway-pacer from South Africa has directly indicated that Virat Kohli can't take any sort of sledging on his chin. This is sure to spice up a game that is already tipped to be an exciting one.
The on-field reply from Virat Kohli to this particular comment from Kagiso Rabada might turn out to be an intriguing one. It remains to be seen whether this fiery battle will continue on the field considering the fact that Virat Kohli tends to feed on any sort of sledging