Virat Kohli's candid admission on pumped-up on-field celebrations: 'I have tendencies to go overboard'

Virat Kohli and animated on-field celebrations go hand in hand. Over the years, the maverick Indian batter has won over many fans due to his aggression on the field, which sets him apart from the rest of the Indian legends. However, the 36-year-old has also been often criticised for this. Recently, Kohli was caught in a huge storm after shoulder-bumping Australia's Sam Konstas in the Melbourne Test. Virat Kohli made a candid admission on his on-field celebrations(AFP)

In a candid admission, Kohli has admitted that he tends to go overboard with his emotional on-field reactions. However, he defended his actions, saying they came from the right place.

In the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Kohli was often seen doing pumped-up celebrations. Even in the Sydney Test, his celebration after Sam Konstas' wicket in the first innings raised a few eyebrows. The entire Indian camp had charged towards Konstas after the young Australian irked Jasprit Bumrah in his bowling stride.

"I do have tendencies to kind of go overboard. I've never shied away from that. For a lot of people, it might not have been something that they're able to process. But for me, it always comes from the right place," Kohli said in the RCB Innovation Lab talk on Saturday.

"My competitiveness has not gone down. You can still be aggressive in your mind, but you don't necessarily need to express it out there every now and then out of frustration, which I have," he added.

‘People enjoy watching that’

Virat Kohli is also aware of how his aggression on the field is loved by many cricket fans worldwide. He said that the lovers of his antics outweigh the critics and naysayers.

"I mean, in the recent past as well, which is not a great thing, to be honest, I don't feel great about those things myself. You may think that there's some people who criticise you for that. But actually, I think there's a fair few more people who actually enjoy watching you do that," he added.

Kohli also expressed elation about seeing cricket make its entry in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The former India captain said the IPL has given a massive phillip to the sport globally.

"To be Olympic champion would be an absolutely magnificent feeling. The IPL has definitely played a massive role in that as well. Now, it has gotten us to a stage where it's part of the Olympics. It's a great opportunity for some of our guys," said Kohli.

"The athletes will be able to taste it. First of its kind. And I'm sure we'll be somewhere close to that medal. Both men and women play side by side as well," he added.

Kohli also joked about coming out of T20I retirement if India ends up reaching the gold medal match in the Olympics.

"For the Olympics, I don't know, maybe, if we are playing for the gold medal. I just might sneak in for one game, get a medal and come back home. But I think it's a great thing for the sport, overall," Kohli said.

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