NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli's passion and love for the game remain unmatched. Although he has retired from Tests and T20Is, his focus has not wavered, and he is leaving no stone unturned to stay match-fit.
Kohli's former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Dinesh Karthik also spoke about his dedication and commitment to the national team. He said the star batter is serious about his preparation and has been training hard even during his break from international cricket.
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Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was at the helm when Kohli captained the side, recalled his electrifying energy on the field and how he often had to calm him down while Kohli waited for his turn to bat.
"At times, I had to calm him ( Kohli) down. If a wicket went, he would jump out of his seat. I would say, 'Calm down man, let him (dismissed batter) cross halfway, don't meet him when he's just 10 yards away from the stumps. Let him come near the boundary line, then cross him'. He was like a cat on a hot tin roof ready to punch out there. That's Virat for you," remarked Shastri on the LiSTNR podcast.
Kohli and Shastri's partnership may not have delivered an ICC trophy for India, but their emphasis on fitness set new standards for Indian cricket. Shastri recalled how a poor running incident with Kohli between the wickets pushed that "lazy bugger" into the gym.
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"It did because he would show them up otherwise. When you are running between the wickets, if you are a lazy bugger, you'll soon find out. He'll be completing two runs and you'll be trying to finish the second and he'll be looking for the third while you've not even finished your second run. Immediately, the message then is, 'Get to that bloody gym and start training and get fitter'."
Recalling an episode from India's 2018 tour of South Africa, Shastri praised Kohli’s incredible discipline and commitment, calling his work ethic the finest he has ever witnessed in the game.
"It was unreal, his work ethics were special. I've never seen anyone like that. Forget the gym, I remember him getting out early in Cape Town (2018 Test series in South Africa). And he came at the nets at the Centurion and he batted for 45 minutes, then went back in and asked Raghu, a slinger who can crank it up at 150-160 from 16 yards to bowl. And he went after Virat because Virat wanted that," said Shastri.
"And it was a dodgy pitch so I was a little worried as a coach. The pitch was dodgy and this guy (Kohli) is asking him (Raghu) to go flat out and you've got a Test match starting in two days. But he was relentless and then at the ground, day after day there is a routine. So the energy he would bring to the table day in and day out was unreal."
