South African pacer Kagiso Rabada has called India's skipper Virat Kohli 'immature' ahead of the game between the two sides on June 5.
The duo was initially involved in a heated argument during India's tour of South Africa last year, during the 2nd test of the three-match series. In the ODI series on the same tour, the two players clashed again.
Speaking about one of the incidents in the recently-concluded IPL (Indian Premier League), Rabada said that Virat Kohli likes to be aggressive with words on the field, but is unable to take the same.
"I was just thinking about the game plan, really, but Virat, he hit me for a boundary and then he had a word. And then when you give it back to him, he gets angry. I don’t get the guy," Rabada said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.
"Maybe he does it because it gets him going, but that comes across as very immature for me. He is a phenomenal player but he can’t take the abuse. But those things can’t distract you."
The South African bowler further added that sledging fires him up on the field, and pushes him to have the last laugh over the batsman.
"In fact, for me it just wakes me up, if anything. If somebody comes at me and says, “I’m going to hit you. I’m going to clobber you. You are soft”, it wakes me up because – it’s a fight-or-flight response," Rabada said.
The game against South Africa will be India's first of the World Cup. The sides will take each other on at Rose Bowl stadium in Southampton.
