Kohli: What Did Harsha Bhogle Really Say?

Commentator Harsha Bhogle was targetted on X for his 'controversial' statements around Virat Kohli.

In a video clip tweeted by Press Trust of India that has now gone viral, Bhogle was seen speaking at the SHRM India Talent Leadership Summit and Expo 2024 in Mumbai where he said: 'Virat Kohli is a great example. Virat Kohli is playing Test cricket for India and he isn't supposed to get out. Now, he goes to play for RCB, for India; beyond a certain point, it might actually been the interest of the side for him to get out.

'How do you reconcile to the fact that I am one of the greatest who have played the game but actually at this stage, it's in the team's interest that I get out because the person who is coming in will probably hit 20 of 6 balls. Viral Kohli is an extreme example.'

After receiving a barrage of abuse, Bhogle took to X and clarified his stand.

'This is an example of what I was talking about with social media. The video is cropped just before the point where I say that Virat is capable of playing across situations but that I was only highlighting how even the greatest players have to keep adjusting demands and priorities. Come on @PTI_NewsI am sure you can do better.

'With selectively edited reporting, nobody will be able to articulate thoughts again. Can you put out the whole clip please?'

Posting a complete clip later on his X handle, Bhogle tweeted again: 'The clip that @PTI_News posted was cut at 0:41 on this edit. The next 6 seconds were kept out to change the meaning.

'This is the problem with clickbait journalism. The context here is that this is part of a larger discussion in an HR forum (that conversation is much longer) about how T20 is measured very differently and therefore how different metrics are needed to measure talent in different situations.'