VVS Laxman, Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara advise Virat Kohli to end media stand-off

Virat Kohli after a training session in Perth, Australia.

The recent dispute between Virat Kohli and an Indian journalist doesn’t seem to have resolved yet. This has made former Indian cricketers VVS Laxman and Sunil Gavaskar to call and advise Virat Kohli to end the row, early on Thursday.

Virat Kohli had mistaken the journalist in question for someone else, who he thought had written an article about the Indian batting star and beau Anushka Sharma in a newspaper. The 26-year old had hurled abuses at the journalist after a training session earlier this week.

Media-player relations play important role: Gavaskar

Gavaskar and Laxman admitted that communicating with the media has always been tough, but that has never made them behave provocatively with any section of the media.

"I just try to see myself in front of the mirror and try to remove from my system all those which bother me and try to be cool under severe pressure. I wish I could be as cool as M S Dhoni or a Laxman. Maybe a Bjorn Borg, so cool under immense pressure," Gavaskar said.

“Media plays an important role. All the stakeholders -- the players, administrators, media, fans and then the sponsors, they should work together to take cricket forward. Having said that, the media should report as they see, the facts and not what they have heard, not speculative stories," he added.

VVS Laxman who has been one of the calmest players of the game, has advised both Kohli and the concerned journalist to apologise and end the spat.

"I think that is the mutual way to lay the matter to rest. Kohli can go up to the concerned journalist and say that 'I mistook you as some other journalist'. Then the matter can be done and dusted," he said.

"I have never lost my cool except on one occasion and that incident is known to everybody. But that was within the four walls of the dressing room, never in public," Laxman added.

Hope Kohli row distracts Indian team: Lara

"It (player relationships with the media) is very tough, never easy. I had run-ins with the media. These things may happen but I think both the parties should move ahead for the good of the game and concentrate on the World Cup," said Brian Lara.

"I am a West Indian and from the perspective of our team, I hope it distracts the Indian team. Kohli may be either perturbed or get more determined and I hope it (the row) affects him," added Lara.

India face West Indies in their next clash in the World Cup on Friday.

There are many advantages of being a celebrity. And there are some disadvantages. Virat Kohli will learn that you need to live with both.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 5, 2015

The media complains of arrogance, the players complain of gossip being peddled as news.It is a standoff that is going nowhere.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 5, 2015

Yes, Indian cricket could be more open. But the media needs to look beyond rants, look inwards. It won't always be something to be proud of

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 5, 2015