India has for a long time in the last decade dominated test cricket. They have done well in one day version as well although failing to go past the semifinals in the last two editions after winning it at home in 2011. A major reason for their rise has been attributed to the success of one of the most powerful batsmen and captains in the last few decades. It would be an understatement not to label him as the King of Indian cricket. Virat Kohli is that king and that larger than life character which has been the rock of the side for over a decade now.Even Bollywood played second fiddle to him.
However that is where the dilemma lies. His form as a batsman has deteriorated in both red and white ball formats to the point in which his much favoured T20 stats are taking a hit.He finds himself in a very odd position where he is no longer the skipper of any of the Indian nationals squads.The latest stepping down after the Centurion Park test in south Africa following the close series loss was a huge changing point. Why is he losing his form is a question that no one in the cricketing world has been able to answer.
If Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith fail in a series its forgiven in some but Virat’s decline in form has been somewhat of an enigma. In 2014 he sufferred from what is clearly an established depressive episode which he overcame and did well to counter. He left in a planned exit from the covid bubble to attend his daughter’s birth at a point when India were bundled out for 36 , their lowest test score in Adelaide on the Australia tour of 2020 -21.India went on to win the test series despite being in all sorts of personnel crises under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane.
The blue eyed boy of Indian cricket and nicknamed Cheeku has been well known for many years for an unmatchable work ethic on fitness and diet and maintaining as strict regime.He has been proponent of this for a long time and it has shown in the many feats he has accomplished.In 2018 he had a record 11 hundreds in a calendar across formats which was second only to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat’s journey is one of great inspiration. He was dropped at state level in the eleventh hour under 14 match over preferential treatment. His father was offerred to pay for him getting a place in the cricket side during his early years but he refused.Since then he has never lost belief in merit. After the loss of his dad in 2006,he played a state game a day later. He climbed the ranks of cricket in youth, national and international level on his own ability. When he opened in Dambulla as a 19 year old in 2008, many knew he had talent but will he ever achieve greatness.It was a team that had the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman, Yuvraj, Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni skippering the limited format squads having been crowned the inaugural world champs a year earlier.
In December 2014 when Dhoni left the captaincy at the end of the Boxing day test, Kohli’s era of captaincy was ushered in a bit prematurely for some but he responded with a huge 147 at the Sydney test.He had a fanstastic Aussie tour in both formats churning hundreds at will.This would be marked as the barometer of success in modern day but for a subcontinent player there is one more prize which is bigger. The moment he scored that 183 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup at Mirpur chasing 330 in March 2012, he achieved the ultimate glory innings. Rohit Sharma scored a 68 and even Sachin scored a fifty, but both of those were mere after thoughts in context of what Virat displayed. He had conquered a major frontier. Its a shame that he hasn’t played the Greenshirts in a single test till now despite playing 102 tests to date. In October 2021 in Dubai when playing them last in the World cup, he top scored with a 57 still maintaining his good record against the arch rivals (especially in world cups), albeit in a heavy defeat which led to questions being asked.
Over the last decade, we have come to see only one side of his career. On the field you will always see the aggressive Kohli ,with that fighting tiger like attitude but when you listen to him in interviews, you will appreciate that great banter that he has to offer typical of a Delhi guy.He has matured to becoming a true family man.The advice he has to offer in terms of maintaining diet and fitness, on social media, mental health and developing Indian cricket with infusion of youth is invaluable.
There is a lot that he can offer for the world of cricket still even if he is not stats crunching like he has been.Is the lack of IPL title or a test world championship missing from his CV ? I think these are breadcrumbs from a guy who has given so much to the sport. The “channey bhaturay” of Rajouri gardens can still wait for when he finally hangs up his boots.
If this is the termed as his “twilight” , which is still unlikely in this era of long careers,at 33 ,then the legend has already begun.
Sportsfan Says 