Pressure to win justifies Kohli’s on-field aggression: Hadlee

TIL Desk Sports/ Virat Kohli’s on-field aggression is justified as it helps in unsettling opposition, a tactic necessary for India skipper since he faces enormous pressure to win from fans, said former New Zealand all-rounder Richard Hadlee.

“I quite like seeing any player expressing themself (sic) towards the opposition by having a real presence — it is a form of intimidation that can be unsettling, and a tactic used by many sportspeople,” said Hadlee in an interview to International Cricket Council (ICC).

“I see Virat as being a very passionate and competitive cricketer with a strong desire for himself and the team to succeed. The pressure and expectations on him to ‘win’ is enormous. There are millions of Indian fans who idolise him which puts great pressure on him. Virat is responsible for ensuring that Indian cricket remains competitive and be one of the best teams in the world,” added Hadlee, one of the four major all-rounders who dominated international cricket scene in late 1970s and 1980s along with Imran Khan, Kapil Dev and Ian Botham.