What has Virat Kohli given to Indian cricket and fans?

Virat Kohli at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (Pic: AFP)

Virat Kohli is often hailed as one of the finest and all-time greats of the game of cricket. Who knew just like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli would rule the streets of the cricket-mad nation, India?

People keep criticizing players just after their rare failures, but not many realise what it takes to make the cut in the national team of India. Hailing from West Delhi, Virat Kohli was just another boy who idolized Tendulkar and dreamt of representing the nation at the highest level.

Many know about his inspiring story of his father's demise and then going out and smashing bowlers out of the ground. The story gives us an perfect example of how dedication and being true to your work can help a man reach heights.

Earlier, people had so much faith in Sachin Tendulkar (and so less in other batsmen), that as soon as he got out, they used to switch off the television sets. These days, Virat Kohli evokes similar sentiments.

Also Read: Virat Kohli and unbeaten 82-run knocks: A match made in heaven!

During the concluded T20 World Cup 2024, a clip of Angad Bedi (Bollywood actor and son of late Indian cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi) went viral. In the video, the paps were seen telling the actor about India's scoreboard when Angad paused and asked "Kohli out?" Later, when he got to know, that Virat Kohli was still unbeaten, the actor was seen taking a sigh of relief. This is what Kohli has given to Indian cricket fans, the belief, confidence and hope of winning every match. Taking to Instagram:

Similarly, the veteran has registered several records to his name. When Sachin Tendulkar scored his 49th ODI century, Virat Kohli was seen clapping for him from the dugout. His eyes then captured the dream of achieving the feat someday.

One of the historic feats Virat has achieved was during the ODI World Cup 2023. In a semi-final match against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, Kohli smashed his 50th ODI century. With this, he broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of the most ODI centuries in the home ground of Sachin. What more glorious moment a cricketer would ask for, than breaking his idol's record in his presence at his home ground and then bowing down towards him (a gesture of respect)?

The aggression Virat Kohli showcases during the game can be seen on the streets of India as well when a boy comes to play alongside his friends. From imitating Kohli's walk to his iconic cover drive shot, the nation's youngsters have idolised him by giving Kohli the tag of "King Kohli".

In a world where the fans are much more fascinated by T20 cricket, Kohli stood out and made Test cricket more interesting with his aggressive mindset and never give up attitude. During Kohli's captaincy era, he was seen motivating Indian players during a huddle talk. In the Test match against Australia, Kohli said "For 60 overs, they should feel hell out there." This is how Kohli changed the mindset of Team India and boosted their confidence.