India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has come out with a thoughtful and honest reaction to Virat Kohli's arrogance. Speaking during the ongoing ODI series between India and New Zealand, Rahane, who has shared a dressing room and leadership duties with Kohli for many years, said that what people perceive as arrogance is actually intensity and a deep focus on preparation.

Rahane was asked about the perception of Virat’s personality, especially by the fans and critics, who often read his body language as ego. Instead of ignoring the talk, the Mumbai cricketer gave an insightful answer. He offered a personal experience, having played with the Delhi batter for most of their career together.

“However much we talk about Virat Kohli is never enough. But I have seen him very closely, how he goes about his batting. We talk about his passion and his intent each and every time. But I feel for me what stands out is his attitude. Attitude of learning, attitude of never giving up. People outside think Virat is arrogant, but he is not. He gets into the zone,” Rahane told Cricbuzz. 

He further highlighted that, initially, the 37-year-old’s behaviours used to puzzle even the teammates, but they eventually came to terms that it was a part of Kohli’s methods. 

"I saw him two days before the game. He'll hardly talk with people, even with the teammates. That's what actually gets him into the zone. He'll always wear his AirPods or try and listen to whatever he wants to and what he likes to get into the zone. Initially it took all the players a little bit of time. Why is he doing that? But then I got to know that he's actually getting into the zone while not talking to the players or while not talking to anyone," Rahane added.

It is worth mentioning that Virat and Rahane formed a formidable partnership during their illustrious careers. They have scored 3661 runs, with an impressive average of 56.32, batting together for India in Tests, making them one of India’s best partnerships in the longest format. While Virat has retired from Tests with 9230 runs, the Ashwi-KD-born continues to live his dream of making a comeback to the Test squad.