Virat Kohli: Mister Motormouth

If you can dream, and not make dreams your master/ If you can think, and not make thoughts your aim/ If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/ And treat those two impostors just the same  

He may not realise it, but RCB captain Virat Kohli lives his life by the words of English writer-poet Rudyard Kipling.

Whether scoring a match-winning hundred or losing  his off-stump to a part-time bowler, Kohli handles widely contrasting situations in precisely the same manner.

Which is a good thing, right?

In the recent Qualifier 1 that Bangalore won over Gujarat Lions, Kohli gave the hair-dryer treatment to an umpire who had dared question a close catch that he had peeled off the turf.

All that was sought was the TV umpire's opinion. But Bangalore's lord and master was livid that his word wasn't taken at face value. 
 

Even after the catch was awarded, Kohli continued to swear at the world in general, spewing venom in the dug-out during the second innings.
 

But then, India's Test captain is known to readily recourse to abusing for the expression of both pain and pleasure.
 

This is how he celebrated a hard-earned Test century in Australia a few years ago.


And this what doting fans at the stadium get from him:

It is said one should treat all human beings the same. On that count too, RCB's run machine doesn't disappoint. He metes out equal treatment to teammates and opponents alike.
 

Fellow RCB-ian Yuzhvendra Chahal, who misfielded during a match, was subjected to this:

But Kohli reserves his best for the rival team. Just ask Bangladesh bowler Rubel Hossain:
 

Well, at least he is as consistent with his mouth as he is with the bat!

• Virat Kohli