Being a kid, I was too small to understand what cricket really is. The first time I came across to know a little bit about it was when I was 10. Teachers did teach me B for Bat/Ball during my KG, but they never taught me C for Cricket.
I was 11 when I saw Virat Kohli’s innings of 35 odd runs in the World Cup vs Sri Lanka. By then I knew yes this is the game I’m gonna follow not because I understand it completely, but because the people around me cheered lot about this game.
When he said ‘He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years, it was time we carried him on our shoulders’. Which melted my heart with tears of pure joy and it did bring a lot of hope that this boy is gonna do wonders. The same guy who has a chubby boy then is now a fitness freak. The way he has come along with so much of criticism he has got during his tough periods he was called as ‘arrogant, brat, casanova and what now. Many doubted his capabilities, many said he has potential but he lacks determination to now where he stands in the game at the moment makes me proud to say that I feel myself extremely lucky to have born in an era where I can actually see a KING RULE – ALL FORMATS OF CRICKET. After 10 years here is he. An Indian Captain in all three formats and arguably the best batsman in the World.
From a person who just dreamt of playing for India once, to becoming the Indian Skipper for all three formats. From a lad who idolised the legends to himself becoming a legend. From a 8 year old who once aimed at achieving a specific mark to a 31 year old who has now achieved almost the double of his expectations.
To the reliability who becomes the immediate demand of his team when amidst sea of troubles. To the megastar who leaves no stone unturned with spectators with his hardcore personalities. And last but not the least, to the man who was born to lead and redefine the meaning of best.
In the auction, all the franchises were given the option of picking two U-19 players. Delhi Daredevils had the first opportunity to pick from the U-19 pool and they went for Delhi pacer Pradeep Sangwan. RCB picked up captain Kohli and after 11 seasons, Virat Kohli remains as the only player to represent only one franchise in all the eleven seasons of the IPL.
Today, on his 31st birthday, Virat stands as one of the best batsmen in international level and is already considered as a batting legend. His captaincy has been terrific so far and Virat has turned out to be the poster boy of not only Indian cricket but also World cricket.
Virat Kohli been a name synonymous with consistency and excellence in cricket for the past few years. Be it limited-overs or Test cricket, or even IPL, he has been a force to reckon with and would continue to remain so, with his skill and dedication, in the years to come.
5412 runs – Most runs in the IPL: He is on top of the list of the most runs scored in the Indian Premier League with his 5412 runs off 169 innings at an average of 37.85 and a strike rate of 131.61.
973 runs – Most runs in a single season of the IPL: Virat was at his best in IPL 2016, where he scored a whopping 973 runs in 16 innings at an astounding average of 81.08. He had scored 4 hundreds and 7 fifties on his way to becoming the Orange Cap winner in the season.
That aggression, that palpable hunger to score runs, those emotions, that straight bat, that passion to succeed, the constant strive for improvement have all made you stand out amongst the pool of talented youngsters in the Indian Team.
Irrespective of your love for cricket, if you live in India and haven’t heard about the awesomeness of this man, there’s something seriously wrong with you. Where does even one begin to sum up this gladiator. In a cricket crazy nation, he came out of nowhere and became our leader, our captain and our inspiration.
Great Sportsmen have the ability to adapt, they thrive on challenges and mould their game to suit the situation. They are made of steel like resolve and have the passion and fire burning inside them to succeed. That is precisely why they are kept at a higher pedestal that ordinary mortals cannot fathom.
These are men that provide moments that don’t fade away from the mind, they bewitch you and hold you captive, and you can recall their great performances even many, many years later.
One such masterclass unfolded in the year 2008 from the willow of a man named Virat Kohli and since the the journey has just been a fairytale.
The way he is scoring runs, making centuries for fun, chasing down totals with utter ease and creating one record after another, Virat Kohli seems to be batting in a parallel universe. No other batsman emanates the kind of class and comfort that Kohli exudes at the crease.
Very rarely in life do you come across people who have their lives sorted by the age of 31. It is even rarer to find individuals who can inspire others at that age.
Virat Kohli turned 31 today and unarguably is an inspiration to millions of people in India and across the globe. His larger-than-life personality, prodigious talent and immense dedication have made him one of the biggest sports personalities in the world right now.
“There are people
who always keep cricket in their mind
Who love cricket by their heart, but if someone has cricket in his blood – It’s you.
There are hitters, there are scorers
But in the bowlers mind if somebody could create the horror – It’s you.”
Today, he’s played 570 matches and 545 innings across all formats (also includes IPL) and has scored a mammoth of 26,448 runs with 134 half centuries, 74 tons and 7 double tons.
Here’s wishing a very Happy Birthday to someone who has defied all that wanted to deter him from being a champion, to someone who didn’t always practice on lush green outfields and didn’t always enjoy the luxuries of bigger cities. Happy Birthday to the man who has written his own scripts, who has chased the most extraordinary dreams, a man who has lived the dream!
The next few years are going to be intriguing. And I only hope and wish this man, Virat Kohli all the very best.