Uthappa publicly criticized Kohli’s controversial decision to drop Ambati Rayudu (in strong form) and include Vijay Shankar as a "3D player" in the 2019 ODI World Cup squad.
Uthappa also expressed displeasure that Yuvraj Singh wasn’t given a proper farewell match before his retirement, indirectly blaming the team management led by Kohli.
In a podcast and interviews, Uthappa openly criticized Kohli’s role in these decisions, which he later admitted was a mistake.
Uthappa’s comments added to the heavy public and media backlash Kohli faced after India’s 2019 WC semi-final loss to New Zealand.
He later acknowledged his mistake, stating he should have spoken to Kohli first before going public, calling it a "big lesson" in managing relationships.
Uthappa later clarified that he never intended to attack Kohli personally, but by speaking publicly, the trust between them broke, leading to a deterioration in their relationship.