The Hitman’s witty replies at press conferences are a case in point. During the 2019 World Cup, when asked what advice he would give Pakistan batters, the Mumbaikar replied that he would only give them tips if he becomes their coach.

There was also a query about Rishabh Pant batting at No. 4 during a match in the same edition. The opener replied that the management had fulfilled the media’s wish of wanting him to play in the World Cup.

Similarly, a number of comments made by him on teammates have grabbed attention. In this feature, we look back at five such instances.

#1 Rohit’s staunch defense of Virat Kohli

Team India batter Virat Kohli’s poor form has been the talk of the town in cricketing circles for a while now. The debate continued during India’s tour of England as Kohli kept failing.

During one of the press conferences, the Indian captain was asked about the discussion over Kohli’s form. Before the reporter could finish his question, a somewhat agitated Hitman replied:

Defending the struggling batter once again, the Indian captain opined:

Kohli registered a highest score of 20 from six international innings during the England tour. He is now preparing for the Asia Cup, which will be held in the UAE from August 27 to September 11.

#2 “Ae Rishabh kya kar raha hai tu?” - When the Indian captain ‘scolded’ Pant

Last month, Team India keeper-batter Pant hosted a hilarious live Instagram session, which was joined by Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit among others. The team was in the Caribbean and decided to have some fun.

Since the Indian captain had an unstable connection, he had to briefly leave the chat. By the time he rejoined, Pant had randomly added a fan to the live session. Caught by surprise, Rohit quit the chat again.

When he returned after the fan left, Rohit gave Pant a mild ‘scolding’. He asked (jokingly):

Pant responded and explained:

Hitman liked the idea and then asked Pant to add a few more people. The live Instagram session was a massive hit among fans and even had a special appearance from MS Dhoni.

#3 “Pragyan aaj-kal commentary karne laga hai kya?” - Rohit’s cheeky response on Dhawan query

Recently, former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha claimed that Shikhar Dhawan looks all set to be a part of the 2023 ODI World Cup. He also praised the Rohit-Dhawan pair, terming them good friends as well.

At a press conference ahead of the T20I series against the West Indies, the Indian captain was asked about Ojha’s comments. In a cheeky manner, he replied:

Answering the query about him and Dhawan, he replied:

Dhawan is currently with the ODI squad in Zimbabwe, while Rohit will next lead the team in the Asia Cup.

#4 “Batting bola na tu?” - When Hitman had some fun with Ravindra Jadeja

Both Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja had forgettable IPL 2022 campaigns. While the Rohit-led Mumbai Indians (MI) finished last, Jadeja’s franchise, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), did only marginally better. However, there was a hilarious moment when the two went out to toss ahead of a CSK-MI clash.

Jadeja, who was CSK’s captain for the first few games, won the toss and decided to bowl first. After Jadeja finished his post-match interaction with commentator Nick Knight, Rohit stopped the CSK captain and asked him:

Both captains exchanged laughs as Rohit proceeded to chat with Knight for a post-toss interaction.

#5 “Has raha hai ro raha hai” - Rohit trolls Yuzvendra Chahal

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal recently took to Instagram for a promotional video of a pain reliever brand. He spoke about the new anthem created by the brand in the clip.

However, the Indian captain saw a nice opportunity to troll the leggie for the manner in which he spoke. Rohit commented on the video:

Chahal and Rohit share a great camaraderie both on and off the field and continue to find ways to pull each other’s legs. The duo will next be seen in action during the upcoming Asia Cup.

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