Ever since he was a little kid, Virat Kohli idolised Sachin Tendulkar, the charismatic beacon of achievement. When Kohli was new on the scene and had started to show signs of greatness, it was Tendulkar who predicted that Kohli would break his records. 11 years later, on the 15th of November, at the iconic Wankhede, the same day and the same stadium where Tendulkar played his last Test match, Kohli unfolded history, stroke-by-stroke.
Watching his record-breaking innings was nothing short of surreal. There are only a handful of days in history that give you moments like these. Kohli’s hundred transcended the ordinary, reaching a cosmic level of brilliance. His destiny had “breaker of records” written all over it and our destinies aligned to witness it all.
Kohli, perhaps the biggest cricket star in this generation, embodies the spirit of passion and unwavering dedication like no one else does. The cricketing Gods have witnessed a maestro effortlessly orchestrating a symphony of runs in pursuit of excellence, discipline, and an unquenchable thirst for success.
He has nothing to prove, he’s done it all, yet he’s not satisfied. Every time he goes out to bat, it’s the same intensity, the same indomitable spirit, the same fierceness in his eyes, the same bolt for a single, the same roar after a milestone. Kohli doesn’t get bored of it and neither do we.
Right through his remarkable journey, Kohli has also accumulated a myriad of devotees and innumerable aficionados. Me being one of them. Fans and pundits who had followed Kohli’s career closely knew from the very beginning that he was no ordinary player. He was fate’s favoured sculptor. Like clay in the hands of a master sculptor, he possessed the ability to shape the course of history.
For a moment, press the rewind button and you would imagine a young boy from West Delhi, who had a dream and a destiny to rewrite history. Although the young Kohli may not have been aware of it yet, his confidence was what set him apart from the rest of the crowd. He ascended the ladder of success swiftly, fueled by a determination that only a few possess.
From winning the Under-19 World Cup as a captain to losing his father in the middle of a series. From god-like form to not being able to put bat to ball. From a young brat to a mature leader. From a spirit-breaking two-year-long slump to scoring the most centuries in ODI history, we have all been witness to a master crafting his destiny, aligning stars and shaping fate. Take a bow, King Kohli.