'No one knows Virat Kohli, He remains the Same': Former RCB player Shreevats Goswami speaks on 'Friend', gives Misjudgment Reasons | Exclusive

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Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru player and India's U19 World Cup winner Shreevats Goswami has opened up on Indian stalwart Virat Kohli.

Kohli, a stalwart of Indian cricket, has emerged as a champion across formats for the country. The India star will play a pivotal part in the Champions Trophy, where he seeks to showcase his batting prowess.

As India lock horns against Bangladesh in the first group stage match on Thursday, the Delhi-born batter will be taking the stance with sky-high expectations. In recent times, Kohli has faced criticism for his batting. After a lean BGT series, the India star was the subject of criticism across various sectors.

Apart from that, Kohli has been under the scrutiny of former players, who may have found a change in him after his superstar status. Having played alongside Virat Kohli in the 2008 U19 World Cup-winning team and for RCB, Goswami shed light on the personal side of the cricketing legend in an exclusive chat with MyKhel.

"We don't talk about cricket but we are friends. The Virat Kohli who was with me in 2008 is still the same. At least for me, he has not changed. Our friendship remains the same," Goswami said.

He also addressed how cricketers are often misunderstood by the public and media.

"A player's journey is not easy. No one actually knows Virat Kohli. People know Virat Kohli, the cricketer. It becomes difficult because you have to balance your family life and cricket while constantly being in the spotlight."

When asked if the cricketers get misjudged very easily, Goswami says it is a norm in their profession. Goswami, who became the first emerging player award winner in IPL in 2008, said that the fluctuating stakeholders and broadcasters create the hype, which unnecessarily gets a player under the pump.

"TV and broadcasters make cricketers big. So, the only difference between a star and not a star is the TV. And the commentators, who make the same cover drive so exaggerating, because that is also their job. So, you have to look at it like a movie. And you have to get misjudged. Because you are coming on TV, all of a sudden you become a star."

"The people who don't know you, they become your fans the next day. You think that you are a stakeholder, so-called fans as the stakeholders of the game. But even in this, the players never tells the stakeholders to put money on them. Virat Kohli never said, 'come and see me'. These are two-edged swords. So, a lot of cricketers are misjudged," Shreevats concluded.

The former Bengal and Mizoram player also reveals the Australian and South African players retire early because they have priorities on family and the people in those countries don't venerate cricketers like in India.

It will be a big challenge for Kohli as he takes the field in Dubai for the Champions Trophy. India will commence their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 as they look to end their 14-year-long drought for a 50-over silverware.