Swann defends Kohli, says game will become dull without confrontation
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann believes the controversial clash between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir is nothing in comparison to the clashes in the Ashes and says the game would become dull without such incidents. Kohli and Gambhir got into a scuffle on May 1 during an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Supergiants. In an online chat on Geo Cinema, cricket expert Swann said, “If there are no conflicts in the game, it will become boring. I have played many Ashes series in my life and this is nothing in comparison to them.
Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees. Swann believes that there is nothing wrong with Kohli being overly aggressive and that he is known for his passion for the game. He said, “You should not change players so much that they cannot play with passion. Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli because he plays with a lot of passion. Many players are scared of him. Some say that he is too aggressive. Gautam and Virat have been playing together and all this happens on the field.
He said, “Everything is fine till we shake hands with each other after the match. This should not result in a bad image on the screen. I have no problem with his passion.” On Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s speculation about his retirement, he said, “Whenever he is going to bat, he is hitting sixes. Why should this be his last season? If he wants to play, he can play. He has no equal behind the wicket, is brilliant with the bat and is still the best captain in the IPL.
