"My relationship with Virat was impacted by that" - Former India cricketer makes huge revelation over critical comments on Kohli during podcast

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa opened up on the critical comments he had made on Virat Kohli during a podcast in the past. He made a massive revelation about his learning from the same and what he could have done better.

Uthappa had spoken about an incident that took place within the Indian team during Virat's captaincy. However, he now admitted that he should have spoken to Virat before making those comments. The former cricketer revealed that he had a conversation with Virat later on, acknowledged his mistake, and even apologised for it.

He reflected that the intention was not to talk about Virat, but he answered a question that he was asked. Uthappa felt that, nonetheless, he should have considered Virat's sentiments. He also revealed that it impacted his relationship with the former Indian captain.

"In that whole conversation, the intent was not to speak about Virat. That interview was meant to be about me. I was asked a question which I spoke to. I didn't take into consideration at that point the sentiments of Virat or the fact that even if this is what I believe, he should know what I believe and that gives me the right to voice that. My relationship with Virat was impacted by that. My learning from that was, when I spoke to him, that I should have spoken to him before," he said on his YouTube channel. (1:19:32)

"I didn't speak about my experience with Virat. I spoke about what I saw one of my closest friends experience under his leadership. It wasn't even his leadership, it was the style of leadership. Everyone is entitled to have their own style, and everyone is entitled to have their opinion on that style. That was my learning that I should have spoken about it to him and that sensitivity we must extend to cricketers or people in the same fraternity," he added.

Uthappa and Virat did not spend a lot of time together, be it while playing for India or in the IPL. The two were in the national team together in 2014 and 2015. Even in the IPL, they spent only a couple of seasons in the same team when Uthappa was a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2009 and 2010.

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What did Robin Uthappa say about former India captain Virat Kohli?

For context, in a recent interview with 'The Lallantop', Robin Uthappa had blamed Virat, the captain, for Yuvraj Singh and Ambati Rayudu's exits from the Indian team.

"Take Yuvi Pa's instance. The man beat cancer, and he is trying to come back into the international side. He is the man who won us a World Cup, won us two World Cups for that matter, along with the other players, but played an integral role in helping us win," he had said. (1:23:00 onwards)

"Then for such a player, when you become captain, you say his lung capacity has diminished and you have been with him when you have seen him struggle. Nobody has told me this, I observe things. You have seen him struggle, then when you are captain, yes you have to maintain a level of standard, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Here is a man who deserves to be an exception because he is not just beaten and won you tournaments, but he has beaten cancer," he added.

Yuvraj last played for India in 2017. Uthappa also disclosed that Ambati Rayudu was set to be a part of India's squad for the 2019 ODI World Cup. However, Virat and the selectors went with Vijay Shankar at the last minute.

However, Uthappa stated that Rayudu was not given clarity on his sudden exclusion from the team and that it broke his confidence.

“If Virat dislikes anyone or he feels someone is not good then they are out. Ambati Rayudu is a prime example. You feel bad for him. Every player works hard to reach at that level. Everyone has their own preferences I agree but you can’t take a player to the house and close the door on his face, in my opinion it’s wrong," he stated in the same interview. (1:27:37 onwards)

In the latest video on his YouTube channel, as mentioned earlier, Uthappa clarified that he had not spoken about his experience with Virat, but about something one of his close friends went through under Virat's captaincy. He further clarified that he meant to discuss the style of captaincy, not the player as an individual.