‘Others call it aggression, I call it passion’ – Sreesanth reflects on Virat Kohli's on-field personality

Former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth recently shared his views on Virat Kohli’s aggressive playing style and reflected on his own career experiences during a recent conversation. The cricketer-turned-commentator further stated that Kohli would never be the same player if he stops or even lessens the showing of his intense personality on the field.

The right-arm pacer, who was part of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team alongside Kohli, emphasized that Kohli’s aggressive demeanour is a key factor in his success. He offered insights into Kohli’s on-field behaviour, drawing a clear distinction between aggression and passion.

“Nothing (on whether he would change anything). What others call aggression, I call it passion. Is Virat Kohli aggressive? No. I think he is obsessed. Virat’s aggression, people say, is a lot. I would say if he reduces that aggression, he won’t be the same player,” said Sreesanth on Sehrawat’s YouTube channel.

The careers of the two cricketers took different trajectories following the 2011 World Cup victory. Kohli made his Test debut during the West Indies series, while Sreesanth did not feature in that tour. Sreesanth’s final Test appearance came in the fourth Test against England in 2011, whereas Kohli’s career continued to flourish.

Sreesanth on infamous Harbhajan slap saga

Sreesanth also reflected on the 2008 incident involving himself and Harbhajan Singh, in which the latter slapped him after an IPL game in Mohali. He revealed the lasting impact of the episode on his family, particularly how his daughter perceived the spinner.

"When I told my daughter, 'This is Bhajji pa, he's played with me', she straight away said, 'No, no, I won't say hi'. I couldn't understand why. In school, there may have been the odd conversation about it. There are different stories doing the rounds. Then we tried explaining, but she said she still won't talk to him. The next day, when the legends tournament was going on, we explained that he was like our elder brother. I don't think Bhajji pa did that deliberately. It happened on the spur of the moment. It was just a learning experience for both of us,” the Kerala-born explained.

Both Sreesanth and Harbhajan were prominent figures in Indian cricket during their playing days, contributing significantly to the national team’s successes, including the 2011 World Cup triumph. The 42-year-old’s international career concluded shortly after the World Cup, with his last ODI being the World Cup final. He did make a return to the domestic circuit with strong performances, but that wasn't enough to earn back an IPL contract or a national comeback.