There are some sportsmen in the world for whom one does not need a time, place or period to talk or write about. In the modern era, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic fit that bill, as do Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo in football. Virat Kohli certainly belongs in that league of legends.
The first time I saw him bat, live, was in a game between Delhi and Railways. The year must have been 2009. I was doing some scouting for the Kolkata Knight Riders, apart from being a member of the coaching staff at the time. This was in Agartala, the venue for the Vijay Hazare Trophy playoffs. Railways batted first and got 305-6 in their allotted 50 overs. Quite a hefty total, especially in those days. From the last ball of the Railways innings, Shikhar Dhawan at long-off took a difficult catch but split the webbing on his left hand. He left the field with blood oozing from the wound, and Delhi were an opener down with a big target to chase.
Punit Bisht, the wicketkeeper, came out to open with Aakash Chopra, and was out to the first ball he faced. In came Kohli, a year on from that Under-19 World Cup triumph in Malaysia. Long story short, he scored 114 off 93 balls, and the innings was mesmerising. He struck 17 fours and a six, and his ability, at such a young age, to manipulate the field was jaw-dropping. That day, I was convinced that we would all see this kid for a long time. He was not yet the finished product, by any stretch of imagination, and that was the best part. Raw, and yet so incredibly good. It was the flex and fluidity of the limb, and the accord of mind and muscle, and he was just 20.
Cut to Kohli now, and he is one of the legends of the game. His numbers are unbelievable, his intensity unmatched and the ability to turn it on day in and day out – for country, franchise, zone or state – is unparalleled. For all the waspish energy and venomous hitting, it is his ability to turn up the dial under pressure that separates him from others. His work ethic away from the cricket field, be it in the gym or maintaining his diet, comes naturally and is not a chore. As far his fitness is concerned, he is competing with the likes of Kylian Mbappes, Djokovic and Viktor Axelsen – men who are the world’s best in their chosen sport.
I am told that at the India net sessions, he makes things so hard on himself, almost to the point of being ruffled. He would tell Raghu, the throwdown specialist, to hurl it from really close, at great speed and hop around and negotiate that – just so that the next day, things are easier in the match. Trouble the comfort, and comfort the trouble. He has worked fingers to the bone to be where he is. And that gives hopes to millions of people all over the world, that hard work always pays off. Some kid running the 800m in Punjab will get motivated by this man, as would one from Kerala who is an archer. Both will try and be cut from such cloth. That is how you change lives.
His game has certainly been accompanied by the siren songs of glory. I dislike comparisons, specially across different eras. Was Sachin Tendulkar better than Kohli? How about both being the best? But we are always looking for a winner, aren’t we? See the bowlers Tendulkar faced in his time. There’s nothing Kohli could do about that, since he had no hand in his time of birth. Going further back, what about those cricketers who played without helmets and that too on uncovered wickets? Phew! In England, where it would drizzle all night and you were meant to play on such surfaces, with no restriction on the number of bouncers. So, let’s put the comparisons to rest.
When I see Kohli, I think that ‘what comes easy won’t last, and what lasts won’t come easy’. His commitment and passion are second to none. Let’s enjoy that, and feel blessed that we were born in an era where we saw such greats, instead of pitting them against one another. For all you know, your next life may not give you this privilege.