‘Never Talks About Anything Negative’: PBKS Batter Recalls Conversation With Virat Kohli After Claims ‘Power’ Changed India Star

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Virat Kohli (left) with Shashank Singh (Pic Credit: IG/shashanksingh027)

Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh opens up on his chat with Virat Kohli and what makes him a different player.

“I have seen Virat change a lot. We had almost stopped talking. When you get fame and power, they think people are reaching out to them for a purpose. I was never one of those,” Mishra told Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel.

Mishra also alleged that Kohli never gave him clarity over his place in the India squad.

Also Read: Naveen Responds to Query Over Feud With Kohli

Amidst the claims, Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh, who hit the spotlight during IPL 2024 thanks to his finishing skills, has recalled his chat with Kohli.

Chatting with Kohli, Shashank says, felt like he was speaking to one his Chhattisgarh (domestic team Shashank plays for) teammates.

“We were standing for about 40 minutes. I didn’t realise that so much time has passed. We were talking about cricket, about shots, mental aspects. And the way he was answering, I just wanted the session to continue. It felt like I am speaking to one of my Chhattisgarh teammates. He was so friendly. He put himself in my shoes and was talking as such so to make me understand.  He told me about how to work on myself. He was boosting my confidence,” Shashank told Insidesport.

Shashank further added that Kohli is someone who never lets negativity creep into his conversations.

“Whenever I speak to him, I’ve realised one thing: He never talks about anything negative. He’s always pointing out positive aspects of your game. We some times end up talking about our past failures but he makes sure to not be negative about them. If I have scored even 2 runs, he will try to find out the positives in them too. This makes him a different person,” he said.

Mishra, who has represented India in 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20Is, said he can still joke around with Rohit Sharma but it’s not the case with Kohli.

“I have known Cheeku (Kohli’s nickname) since he was 14, when he used to eat samosas, when he needed pizza every night. But there is a huge difference between the Cheeku I knew and Virat Kohli, the captain. Whenever he meets me, he is very respectful, but it’s obviously not the same anymore. The way I joke around with Rohit (Sharma), I can’t do it with Kohli,” Mishra aid.