Mumbai: Former West Indies legend Viv Richards said that he loved the way India skipper Virat Kohli 'gave it back' to the Australian players, who love to sledge their opponents, in 2014.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted a video on their website in which Kohli turned anchor for the 67-year-old. Kohli started by saying that before facing Australia for a four-match Test series in 2014-15, he started visualising their bowlers.
"In 2014, we went to England and I had a very bad tour. But the next one was Australia which was even more hostile and tough. The thing that helped me at that time was visualisation. Three months before going to Australia, I started visualising that I'm taking these bowlers on and I'm going to dominate and come out on top, and that for me was a revelation. I had so much belief because of putting the thought," Kohli said.
Replying to Kohli, Richards said: "I think you scored four centuries there. I was in Australia at the same time. We were doing the Big Bash. The Australians can be, in my opinion, bullies at times, they try to talk you out, but you gave it back and I love that."
"And not just giving it back, you (Kohli) gave it back with interest with the way in which you perform." Apart from visualisation, it is his wife Anushka Sharma, whom Kohli feels helped him a lot. He said that she guides him in the right direction.
"Actually, it's been the biggest blessing in my life apart from being blessed to play this sport. To find the right person. Because she is a professional herself, she totally understands my space. She guides me in the right direction," Kohli said.
"The thing that I have learned from us being together is that if you are willing to do things which are right in your life, off the field, and doing the difficult things and standing by them, I think that creates your personality to go on the field and do the same thing," he added.
The Indian cricket team is currently in West Indies and have already trounced West Indies in T20I and ODI series. The two-match Test series between both the teams started on Thursday. India scored 203 for the loss of six wickets on day one of the first Test match.
