Former India cricketer Piyush Chawla recently spoke about his enduring bond with Virat Kohli during an appearance on the 2 Sloggers podcast with Taran Singh and Shubham Gaur. Chawla highlighted the strong relationship they have maintained over the years, recalling positive experiences from their time playing together.
"Whenever I have played with Virat Kohli, my experience has been well. We have played junior cricket together, in the IPL, and represented India together. Everyone has their own way of thinking, but whenever we meet, we interact well," Chawla said.
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He also shared a memorable incident from the Asia Cup, where he was on commentary duty while Kohli was fielding. Chawla recalled, "During the Asia Cup, I was commentating near the boundary. At the mid-innings interval, Virat came up to me and said, 'PC, yaar kuch accha sa order kare?' That kind of interaction we have even today. It’s the same as it was 10-15 years ago."
Chawla’s comments come in response to recent criticism from Amit Mishra, who suggested that Kohli’s fame and power have changed him. Mishra claimed on another podcast that Kohli’s personality has shifted significantly and that their relationship has deteriorated.
"I have seen Virat change a lot. We had almost stopped talking. When you get fame and power, people think others are reaching out to them for a purpose. I was never one of those. I have known Cheeku since he was 14, when he used to eat samosas and needed pizza every night. But there is a huge difference between the Cheeku I knew and Virat Kohli the captain," Mishra said.
Currently, Virat Kohli is on a break after playing in the Sri Lanka series. He was rested for the Duleep Trophy and will next be seen in a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19.
