Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has clarified his previous interview in which he criticized Virat Kohli's leadership and management of Yuvraj Singh near the conclusion of his career. The 2007 T20 World Cup winner received criticism on social media for his comments about Kohli's captaincy.

The former batter even said that Kohli was the reason Ambati Rayudu was dropped from the 2019 ODI World Cup selection at the last minute, implying that the previous captain did not like him.

Uthappa sought to clarify the air following his interview with Lallantop by posting a video on YouTube in which he reiterated his point of view. He stated that he has nothing against Kohli; it is simply his captaincy approach that has divided his admirers.

"A lot is being said, a lot is being misconstrued. Calm down. I'm a human being; I'm allowed to have my opinion, much like any of you. I have been listening and receiving a lot of hate over the last few days. I've been through these experiences before, but I'm someone who likes to have conversations. I was in an interview, and being in an interview, I am allowed to be honest and straightforward and share my opinion as I believe what my opinion is," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

The former India batter reiterated his thoughts on Kohli's leadership, stating that he is entitled to an opinion on something that everyone has.

"I feel like Virat's style of leadership was perhaps more exclusive than inclusive. You feel something else, no worries. This is my opinion, and you're entitled to yours, and I respect yours, and you'll respect mine. I will move on; that's how it should be. I think we're more and more living in a world where we're less accepting or less accepting of people's opinions.

And I think that we should have a conversation about that. I don't think it's necessarily healthy to live in a world where just because you don't agree with someone, you have to cancel them or you have to spew hate and venom at them. There's nothing wrong with somebody having their own opinion," he added.

Uthappa went on to say that while he has always praised Kohli as a batter and even backed him to succeed at difficult times in his career, he is not a fan of his leadership approach.

"I was speaking to a style of leadership rather than a person or a human being. I have always spoken highly about Virat as a player. I think he's one of the greatest ODI batters in the world and I think I've said that on record if I can remember correctly that I think he's one of the greatest white players to have ever played the game. And even as early as two weeks ago, I've said that Virat is going to score runs by the buckets. When people asked Virat if he should retire, he did not score runs in the last five years in Test cricket; he's averaging 30.

I've said, he's got a good three years left in him, if not more. If he's got the hunger, he should continue to play because he's a legend of the game. He deserves to play. I love Virat the player. I've appreciated Virat the human being. I think he's a very evolved human being because I've known him from a very young age and with a very different perspective. And I think he's a very, very evolved human being. But I can have my opinion about his style of leadership," he said.

In an interview with Lallantop, Uthappa criticized Kohli for failing to support 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh near the conclusion of his career.

The former India batter defended his statement, saying he simply meant to express that a legend like Yuvraj should have received a decent send-off, and as captain, Kohli could have afforded it.

"When I spoke about Yuvraj Singh, I wasn't talking about his comeback. I was talking about a legend like him getting a send-off that he deserved to get, and I believe that someone like them deserved to have the kind of send-off that Rohit or Virat deserves, irrespective of what kind of form they're in or what they're not in, right?

We have to celebrate our stars guys who will succeed within our culture, to be able to celebrate them, to be able to give them the view that they deserve and irrespective and I still believe irrespective of what kind of form Rohit is in, and I still believe he deserves to have the send-off, irrespective of what kind of form Virat is in. I believe he deserves it, he is one of the greatest players to play the game. Similarly, I feel Yuvraj deserved to have a send-off, which he didn't get, you know, and at that point, Virat could have afforded it, is what I felt as a leader, and that is my opinion. That is all there is to it," he added.

He also talked about his controversial comments on Kohli about Rayudu's snub from the 2019 World Cup squad.

"Rayudu is a dear friend. I know the impact it had on him when he had everything at home and then, at the last minute, the door was shut on him. Whether if whether Rohit was captain Virat was captain or Dhoni was captain, it does not matter, what matters is that an individual went through this experience during somebody's leadership. And that is what I was speaking to. I wish he didn't have to go through it. I wish it was handed differently," he added.

(Hindustan Times inputs)