Hyderabad: Unperturbed at 'Kohli-Kohli' chants whenever Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Naveen-ul-Haq takes the field or is returning to the bowling end, the Afghan pacer says it infuses "passion" in him to perform for his team, and nonchalantly considers it as a part of cricket.
The bowler has been at the receiving end of social media trolls and aggressive spectators since his face-off against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) legend Virat Kohli where the two had an altercation during the match on May 1.
While he has been able to shut out the trolls by blocking them, the crowd chanting Kohli's name every time he steps on the field must be daunting as a cricketer. Even during the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians (MI) last night, the crowd chanting Kohli's name could be heard whenever he was handed over the ball.
Naveen had an apt response to it. He soon took MI skipper Rohit Sharma's wicket and gestured by placing two fingers in his ear, a way of showing how he has been able to shut out the noise and has remained unfazed. On being asked if Kohli chants perturb him, he said: "I enjoy it. I like everyone in the ground chanting his (Virat Kohli) name or any other player’s name. It gives me the passion to play well for my team.
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"Well I don’t concentrate on the outside or the noise from outside or anything else. I just focus on my own cricket and my own process. Crowd chanting or anyone saying something doesn’t affect me. As professional sportsmen you have to take this in your stride. One do when you don’t good for your team, fans are going to give it to you. And when you do good for your team, same people are going to chant your name. Basically this is part and parcel of the game," said Naveen.
He was also asked about his friendship with former cricketer Gautam Gambhir where he expressed gratitude of the learning he has had from the legendary cricketer. "Everyone should take back of their own players. Mentor, coach, player or anyone. I will stand for each teammate on the ground and that’s what I expect from each individual also. He (Gambhir) has been a legend for India, he has huge respect in India. He has given so much to Indian cricket. As a mentor, as a coach, as a legend of cricket, I respect him a lot and have learnt so many things from him. How I should go about my cricket inside the field and same thing outside."
If his performances are anything to go by, the on-field theatrics may seemed ostentatious to the social media army but he can surely back it up by enthralling performances for his team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He has 11 wickets this season which includes 4 in the Eliminator round against the MI team.
