Former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Simon Doull has opened up about the dark side of criticizing star players, revealing he received death threats after offering commentary on Virat Kohli’s strike rate.
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Virat Kohli’s scoring rate has been a topic of discussion for several years, with some arguing it doesn’t meet the demands of modern T20 cricket. While Kohli significantly improved his strike rate to 154.70 in the recently concluded IPL 2024, Doull was one of those who previously criticized his slower starts.
Doull, who acknowledged Kohli’s recent improvement, has condemned the extreme reactions he faced. “He’s too good to worry about getting out, that was always my point. I’ve said a thousand great things about Virat Kohli, but I say one thing negative and get death threats. That’s the shame of it”, Doull said
Doull emphasized he has a cordial relationship with Kohli, having had friendly conversations with him in the past. However, he argues that a strike rate of 130-135, especially in the era of strategic substitutions, just wasn’t enough.
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Doull went on to mention raising similar concerns with Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who confirmed his coaches had expressed the same sentiment. This incident highlights the intense pressure athletes face and the need for more measured fan reactions to criticism.
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