'Every Lesson, Smack, Pat...': Virat Kohli On Mentor Who Inspired Him To Don India Jersey

11.05.2023 - 08:21 sports.ndtv.com

India and Royal Challengers Bangalore batter Virat Kohli is one of the most influential names in world cricket at the moment.

Having made his made international debut in 2008, Kohli has cemented his place as one of the finest batters to have played the game.

The 34-year-old made his Team India debut on August 18, 2008, in an ODI against Sri Lanka. While he made his T20I debut on June 12, 2010, his first Test appearance came a year later.

While Kohli's dedication towards fitness has been a key factor behind his longevity, the former India and RCB captain has often credited his childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, for helping him achieve his goals.

cricket India Cricket Team on Virat Kohli India Sri Lanka Delhi Jersey Bangalore

Batting mainstay Virat Kohli joined the national team's training session on Monday at the picturesque Arundel Castle Cricket Club along with left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who seemed to have recovered from left shoulder injury. India will play Australia at the Oval in the one-off Test from June 7 to 11. The BCCI on Monday shared pictures of the members of the team, including Kohli, pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj on their official twitter handle. "Team India members begin their preparations for the WTC23 at Arundel Castle Cricket Club," BCCI said in a tweet.

Virat Kohli To The Rescue! Giant Poster Saves Fans In IPL 2023 Final From Rain In Ahmedabad

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad was severely affected by rain on Sunday with the match getting moved to the reserved day on Monday. Although the crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium were ready for the highly-anticipated match, they had to face rain at regular intervals and not all parts of the ground were properly covered. As a result, the crowd rushed back into the shade every time it started raining and for some, Virat Kohli turned out to be their unlikely saviour. In pictures going viral on social media, fans can be seen using a huge poster of Kohli to save themselves from the rain as they chanted the ex-India skipper's name.

"Can't Define Their Legacies": Shubman Gill On Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli Comparisons

Shubman Gill, a maverick batter who has created records in IPL 2023 and is being hailed as the 'Prince' of Indian cricket, has said that legacies of players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are immortal and can't be defined. Gill has enthralled cricket fans with his batting in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The 23-year-old scored three IPL centuries across four innings recently and helped his team Gujarat Titans set up the summit clash against Chennai Super Kings in the final.

"Representing Different Generations But...": Harbhajan Singh On Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli

After 73 nail-biting contests and high-adrenaline games, IPL 2023 has reached its crescendo as we have got the two finallists in Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. Interestingly, it will be a repeat of the opening game of IPL 2023 where defending champions Gujarat Titans hosted four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in their backyard amid much fanfare at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium. Gujarat Titans - who were a team to beat from the start of the tournament - suffered a defeat in Qualifier 1 against CSK. In Qualifier 2 GT faced a resurgent Mumbai Indians but young Shubman Gill's sublime century - third of the season - and Mohit Sharma's five-wicket haul propelled the holders to an emphatic victory.

"He Will Perform As Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma And MS Dhoni Have": Ex-India Star Praises Shubman Gill

Gujarat Titans have qualified for the 2023 IPL final after beating the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 by 62 runs at the Narendra Modi stadium in Mumbai. The Titans put in a stunning performance with the bat, scoring 233 runs in the first innings. Shubman Gill had a spectacular 129-run knock (60b, 7x4, 10x6) that opened the floodgates for GT. Mumbai tried hard with several batters getting a good start but were eventually bowled out with 10 deliveries remaining, scoring 171 runs. Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 61 runs (38b, 7x4, 2x6). A rematch against the Chennai Super Kings beckons, as CSK beat Gujarat in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday to solidify their spot in the final.

"Shubman Gill Will Swallow Trio Of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma": Ex-India Pacer

Unarguably the finest batter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season, Shubman Gill has been ruling the roost for Gujarat Titans. Having already notched up 851 runs this season, Gill will arguably pose the biggest threat to Chennai Super Kings as MS Dhoni's men look to claim the title for the 5th time. Gill has already decimated the teams of Virat Kohli (RCB) and Rohit Sharma (MI), scoring centuries against both. Former India cricketer Atul Wassan feels MS Dhoni (CSK) is next.