Virat Kohli
The Times of India
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Profile
Dec 28 2014
CAPTAIN COOLER
AVIJIT GHOSH
His batting and captaincy are on fire, yet he is chilled enough to blow his girlfriend a kiss from the pitch and spell his fashion label Wrogn. Both on the field and off, Virat Kohli's got game, and that's why he scores
It first happened in 1960, before a packed Brabourne Stadium in Bombay. Abbas Ali Baig had just reached a Test half-century against Australia when an audacious Ms Bhatt ran to the pitch and rewarded the dapper batsman with a kiss before gasping spectators. Since that cheeky act, cricketers in India have often been objects of PDA.
But last month, when the Kiss of Love protests rocked the nation, Virat Kohli added a new dimension to this rolling playbook of love. The Delhi batsman sent a flying kiss off his bat to actor-girlfriend Anushka Sharma sitting in the VIP gallery during an ODI match against Sri Lanka at Hyderabad. No Indian cricketer had so openly demonstrated his ardour before though Pataudi, Ravi Shastri and Mohammad Azharuddin all had famous girlfriends. But the 26-year-old cricketer wasn't just breaking norms; in the same innings, he reached 6,000 runs in just 136 ODI innings, a new world record.
The Times of India
The gesture underlined two traits. One, a willing ness to change and evolve.
Not long ago, the Delhi batter could only express elation with crude references to mothers and sisters. Second, he seemed to be a firm believer in what Frank Sinatra sang an era ago, “I did it my way.“
In a sense, Kohli encapsulates the best and brightest of a generation bred in post-liberalization India: tattooed and teeming with attitude but setting and achieving the highest of benchmarks.
On the last day of the Adelaide Test, when Australia set India a target of 363, that's exactly what was on display. Most captains would have plumped for a draw.But Kohli, a stand-in skipper, aimed for Mission Impossible. Revelling under pressure, he led the way with an assault that had India agog. His career-best 141 took his cumulative runs in the match to 256, eclipsing the previous highest by a Test captain on debut: Kiwi Graham Dowling's 244 against India in 1967-68. The Delhi batter had smashed 115 in the first innings after being struck on the helmet by paceman Mitchell Johnson. India lost. But as the dominant tweeple sentiment suggested, it was more satisfying than a draw. “A draw was never an option,“ he said later.
It was widely believed that Kohli was born to lead, and Adelaide showed his time has come. 2015 could well witness the end of the Dhoni regime and mark the beginning of the Kohli era.
On Twitter, he is already India's sportsman No 1. With 4.92 million followers, he has crossed Sachin's 4.88. Kohli seems to have a natural aptitude for social media, often mixing business with pleasure: wishing happy birthday to friend and brother Gabbar (Shikhar Dhawan), plugging RCB boss Sid Mallya's asinine video or promoting Wrogn, his breakaway youth fashion brand irreverently spelt wrongly . His Facebook page has a staggering 19.1 million likes.
Which is why in its annual list for 2014, London-based magazine SportsPro called Kohli the second most marketable sportsperson in the world.
He is already enjoying the perks of being a star player and his ads often trade on his bad boy cool quotient. He is the rakish Lothario with love marks on his neck (Fastrack), the dude asking for a girl's phone number (Celkon mobile) or just the guy who eyes the girl at the gym (Axe).
For Kohli, the reel and real have almost coalesced. Two English women cricketers have been hitting on him via Twitter and in 2012, in Hobart, Tasmania, a female fan put up a poster saying, “Offer still stands Kohli, my place tonight.“ He confessed later on TV , `'I didn't take up the offer“.
Since his international debut in 2008, what has separated Kohli from the rest is his ability to win matches almost singlehandedly in ODIs and T20s. His approach is goal-oriented. For him, batting is about getting your country beyond the line, preferably without any last-over heroics. He is yet to master the moving ball but his wristwork, arguably the finest in India since VVS, has been key to his 13 tons in winning chases; second only to Tendulkar's 14. That he has excelled in all three formats underlines his ability to adapt.Over the years, almost everyone in world cricket has endorsed him. But the finest validation came from Sir Vivian Richards, who said, “I love his aggression and se rious passion. He re minds me of myself.“
At 17, Kohli came out to bat in a Ranji game against Karna taka the day after his father passed away . He took his team to safety with a 90 before attend ing the funeral. He has said, “If you are dedicated to something, nothing should distract you. Whenever I get stuck in a bad situation, I still think of that day, my most difficult moment, to get out of it.“
Virat Kohli has been rightly ordained as the future of Indian cricket. And the future is now.
Brand value
2017: no. 7 in world
Howzat! Virat's brand value estimated to be greater than Messi's, Oct 27 2017: The Times of India
From: Howzat! Virat's brand value estimated to be greater than Messi's, Oct 27 2017: The Times of India
Indian captain Virat Kohli's rise as cricket's global superstar is reflecting in his earnings as well.
After pocketing a Rs 110crore deal with sports apparel giant Puma earlier this year, Kohli, 28, has now been named among the world's top 10 athletes with the `highest brand value', ahead of football legend Lionel Messi.
According to the list, published by Forbes magazine, Kohli's estimated brand value has been pegged at $14.5 million, which puts him at seventh position.
The Barcelona icon is at the ninth position with a total brand value of $13.5 million.
Kohli made his maiden entry into the list, in which he is the only cricketer.
Controversies
TALKING UGLY
The Times of India Mar 04 2015
VIRAT KOHLI'S diatribe against a media person in Perth on Tuesday wasn't the first time the cricketer has let his anger get the better of him. TOI looks back at past such incidents involving the Delhi batsman...
IT'S KOHLI VS GAMBHIR (APRIL, 2013)
A verbal duel between KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir and Kohli (in pic) during their IPL clash took fans by surprise. As Gambhir and other players walked towards the cover region to celebrate the RCB skipper's dismissal, Kohli, instead of walking back to the pavilion, charged towards Gambhir and made a remark after which all hell broke loose.
ALTERCATION WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS (OCT, 2009)
Kohli got involved in a spat with photographers at Jamtha (Nagpur) just before the start of India's ODI against Australia. As he was training, one of his shots almost hit a camera belonging to a photographer who, along with other cameramen, was sitting behind the advertisement hoardings.Kohli paid little heed to their request to train somewhere else, leading to a verbal free-for-all.
THE INFAMOUS MIDDLE FINGER (JAN, 2012)
Angry at an abusive group of spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Kohli stuck out his middle finger at the hecklers on the second day of the India-Australia Test. Kohli later defended himself on Twitter, saying, “I agree cricketers don't have to retaliate. What when the crowd says the worst things about your mother and sister? the worst I've heard (sic).“
YELLING AT WANKHEDE (APRIL, 2013)
In a tense IPL game against hosts Mumbai Indians, Kohli lost his cool after being targetted by a section of the crowd and retaliated by giving it back. Speaking after the game which his team lost, the RCB captain rued that the spectators had forgotten that he also represented their country.“It feels a bit weird because at the end of the day you play for India and you don't come here to be hated.“
Contribution in ODI
[ From the archives of the Times of India]
Avijit Ghosh TNN
BETTER THAN THE BEST
Virat Kohli has scored more runs than Brian Lara, Dean Jones, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, M S Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards after same number of games (85 ODIs)
At this stage, Kohli has scored 11 centuries. Nobody even comes close; Lara (5) and Ponting (5) being next Among them, his strike rate of 86.31 is third only to Dhoni’s 96.26 and Richards’s 86.99. And his average (50.56) is second only to Bevan’s 56.54 WONDER BOY Virat always looks in control of the situation NewDelhi: Statistics suggest that Virat Kohli is the best ODI batsman in the world now. It isn’t just the runs he has scored so far; it is also the manner and situation in which he has fetched them. Out of his 11 centuries, 10 have come in winning causes; seven of them in a run chase. Thanks to him, run chases are no longer nervous affairs for India. And he seems to shun last-over heroics; Kohli prefers to finish early and in style. Only one thing jars: that his celebration seems incomplete without reference to mothers and sisters. Once set, Kohli seems to always be in control. He seems to bring his leadership skills even to batting. His strokeplay is cultured; slogs are rare. There’s plenty of wristwork on display and power too. Kohli prefers to play along the ground but is not averse to the lofted stroke. And he plays the pull with poise. On Sunday, he was the only Indian batsman who read Saeed Ajmal. Barring one delivery that was edged for four, he had an answer to every doosra or teesra that the Pakistan spinner offered.
Before the Australia tour, most experts had put their money on Rohit Sharma as the one more likely to succeed. Kohli proved them wrong, being the faster adapter and quicker learner. Ever since he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in August 2008, Kohli has grown and evolved beyond recognition. As an 18-year-old, Kohli came to bat for Delhi on the day his father passed away because his team needed him. He scored 90 and steered his team to safety against Karnataka before he fell to a poor umpiring decision. Even at that age, Kohli stood out for his amazing commitment and rare temperament.
Kohli is many things to many people. For the cricket fan, he is a future India captain. For media managers, he is that special face that can sell a million hair gels and mobile phones. For teenage girls, he is the pin-up of their dreams. Kohli is reaching for the stars and corporates for the cheque book.
Earnings
World's third-most marketable player, 2016
The Times of India, May 27, 2016
Virat Kohli is ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in the latest list of the world's most marketable sportspersons.
In a survey published by SportsPro media, Kohli is behind the NBA's `Most Valuable Player' Stephen Curry and Juventus' French international Paul Pogba.
World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic is 23rd on the list, followed by Messi at 27th and Usain Bolt at 31.
The only other Indian in the top 50 is tennis star Sania Mirza, at No. 43.
Athletes from across the world have been ranked according to their marketing potential over a three-year period.
The criteria included six parameters: value for money, age, home market potential, charisma, willingness to be marketed, crossover appeal
Records, statistics, year-wise
2015
The Times of India, May 9, 2015
He is the current superstar of India cricket. Dubbed as the `chase master' in ODIs, 12 of his 22 centuries have been in a winning cause and all this aged just 26. Kohli has been elevated to Test captaincy as well this year and will be expected to lead Team India into the next era.Loud and brash, he is never ready to take a step backwards but lets his willow do the talking most of the time.Adding to his ODI achievements, Kohli also has 10 centuries in just 33 Tests.
2016
Highlights
Kohli hit three centuries and four half-centuries in the calendar year.
Kohli amassed 739 runs from just 10 ODIs played this year.
ANDERSON'S SOUR DIG AT KOHLI
Pacer James Anderson chose to play down Virat Kohli's double ton in Mumbai by saying that the Indian skipper's technical deficiencies, which England had exposed during the 2014 series back home, were not at display here on India pitches, which lacked movement and bounce.Though Kohli ignored the jibe by choosing not to play `sarcastic mind games', Anderson got a mouthful from spinner R Ashwin, who gave him a valuable pep talk on the importance of `accepting defeat'.
Dec 2016: Kohli takes India to the top
March 2008: A brash Del hi boy ran around in circles, shouting “come on“ till his voice choked after India won the under-19 World Cup under his captaincy in Kuala Lumpur. Detractors shook their head at his “theatrics“.
December 2014: Stand-in captain Kohli led a charge at an improbable target of 364 against Australia. India shunned the option of a draw and lost by 48 runs. Critics hailed his innings but wondered if he was needlessly aggressive.
Cut to the present. Having led India to an unassailable 3-0 lead over England, Kohli's evolution from precocious talent to reigning colossus seems complete. The fourth Test in Mumbai saw the three dimensions of Kohli shine through the batsman, the captain and the cricket statesman, even if he is only 28. He broke England's back with a superlative 235, his third double ton since July; never let the visitors breathe easy with his pro-active and clear-headed captaincy , and made a sagacious intervention to douse the fires when Ashwin got into a spat with Anderson over comments the English pacer had made about Kohli himself.
With Kohli has come a new culture into Team India where skill, attitude, ambition and prudence merge to make for a potent cocktail. With coach Anil Kumble lending considerable weight as a teacher, tactician and motivator, Kohli has gone about fashioning a bunch of talented, fearless yet thoughtful cricketers who relish a challenge. It's interesting to note that while Kohli has trimmed his own strokeplay to help him make daddy hundreds in Tests, he hasn't ever asked the youngsters in his team do the same, allowing them to dare and dream.Because, at their age and situation, he was the same. Most importantly , Kohli has taken the team out of a primarily defensive mindset which used to bedevil our cricket like a shackle. One hopes, it stays this way .
Everything he does on the field makes it obvious that Virat has matured and has much better control over himself as a player and as a person. He has worked hard at it. The best part, though, is that he has not let his growing maturity in any way dull a rather primal competitive urge in him. In fact, he has now become a more formidable adversary as a player and captain and the biggest threat bowlers around the world face today .
First batman to have 50 plus in all 3 formats
Please see graphics
2016: an exciting year
Dwaipayan Datta, The Virat 2016: It's a pity that the year is out, Dec 12, 2016: The Times of India
Virat Kohli's 235 at Wankhede rekindled some memories. It was January 2012 and India were getting hammered by Australia Down Under. In the fourth Test in Adelaide, the feisty Delhi lad completed a century -the first by an Indian on that tour -and celebrated as if there was no tomorrow. The Aussies appreciated his effort, but they knew immediately that in his exuberance, Kohli might have lost his focus.It didn't take them too long to dismiss him and a 4-0 walloping was just a matter of time.
Cut to December 2016. Kohli does his trademark fist pumping after completing another crucial century on a difficult wicket in Mumbai, but that's about it. He knows his job is just half done and what transpires over the two-and-a-half sessions is a masterclass in batting which culminates into Kohli's third double century of the year.
Before this home season began, the world had already acknowledged Kohli as the best limitedovers cricketer in business. While Indians would have liked to believe that he was already the best across all formats, many still felt England's Joe Root or Australia skipper Steve Smith were a notch better, at least when it came to Test cricket.It had to do with their superior averages, but for Kohli this was a challenge. Just as another was not to be overburdened by pressure of captaincy .
“There are players who love to take responsibility in adverse situations. Kohli is one of those,“ Krish Srikkanth, who was the chairman of selec tors when Kohli made his Test debut, told TOI.“When we selected him for Tests back in 2011, there was criticism, but we could see the obvious talent and his ability to rise to the occasion,“ added Srikkanth Kohli was steadily making the most of his talent, but the most defining moment of his career happened in South Africa in 2013 when he became the natural heir to Sachin Tendulkar at India's natural No. 4, just after the master had retired. It was clear that nobody better than Kohli could shoulder the responsibility . Big centuries followed, Test captaincy came to him in a year's time, and Kohli kept blossoming.
“I have seen Kohli from a young age. Below the facade of flamboyance, there's a very responsible boy . He knows he is in great form and this is the time to maximize. More so, his team needs bigger contributions than just the landmark of a century ,“ NCA batting coach WV Raman said.
James Anderson set the cat among the pigeons when he said, albeit a bit sourly: “I am not sure if he (Kohli) has changed. The wickets just take that (technical deficiencies) out of the equation.“
But even Anderson will realise it's not easy to score these daddy hundreds, especially in humid Indian conditions. It all comes down to Kohli's ability to stay fit at the crease and not get men tally fatigued -a result of a new new-found obsession for training and become super-fit.
Kohli changed his diet midway through his international career, something that Novak Djokovic famously did to achieve excellence. “That's what Kohli is. He monitors himself so meticulously that you can't imagine,“ Raman said.
If his ability to concentrate long and hard at Wankhede over the weekend was a delight, his self-restraint, whereby cutting out lofted shots was another striking aspect. The T20 batsman who hits sixes at will in the IPL, hardly played anything in the air and struck his first and lone -over-boundary of the innings after completing the double ton. But Raman doesn't feel it's unnatural. “You look at Kohli's progression in T20s.He wasn't the six-hitter that he is today when he started off. But he became so in the course of time, because the situation demanded it. But take a close look at the brilliant chase against Australia in the T20 World Cup earlier in the year, there's hardly anything in the air,“ Raman said.
Class and adaptability -the recipe for greatness which makes even historian Ramachandra Guha, a self-proclaimed T20 hater, say: “This boy , Virat Kohli, makes me watch cricket these days“.Guha is not alone. Kohli is is bringing the crowds to the stadiums -T20s or Test cricket.
2017
Presence in Dharamsala, India vs Australia
When Indian captain Virat Kohli became waterboym The Times of India, March 25, 2017
See graphic:
Virat Kohli’s records, as in Nov 2017
From: November 21, 2017: The Times of India
Being injured did not stop skipper Virat Kohli from being there for his boys on the field as they took on Australia in the fourth deciding Test in Dharamsala.
During the drinks break, Kohli could be seen trotting out onto the field laden with drinks for his teammates, which earned him a resounding applause from the stadium and the commentators went gaga.
"Look at who has got the 'paani' for everybody.12th man Virat Kohli," said former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar.
Former Australia pacer Brett Lee, who is also commentating quipped saying, "this is fantastic. He must be the most expensive drinks man in the world!" The development caught the internet by storm and the love began to pour in on Twitter from fans and cricketers alike.
Kohli also made a second entry into the field later with drinks and was seen having a few words with debutant Kuldeep Yadav, who had just scalped the wicket of David Warner. Australia were 131 for 1 against India in their fourth cricket Test at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, at lunch.
Opener Warner, 54 and Captain Smith, 72 were at crease. For India, Umesh Yadav took the lone wicket of Renshaw, who went out at one. Earlier, Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat.
Post lunch, India took two quick wickets to strengthen their hold as Kuldeep claimed Warner and Shawn Marsh fell to Umesh Yadav to reduce the hosts for 153/3.
Ajinkya Rahane is leading India in the deciding Test as Virat Kohli was ruled out following a shoulder injury, causing a major blow to the hosts.
ICC Champions Trophy: 8000 run mark in ODI
ICC Champions Trophy: Virat Kohli becomes fastest to 8000 ODI runs, Jun 15, 2017: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
Kohli surpassed AB de Villiers' mark in seven fewer innings
Kohli crossed the 8000-run mark in his 175th innings
India captain Virat Kohli has become the quickest batsman to 8000 runs in one-day international cricket, beating AB de Villiers' mark in seven fewer innings. Kohli crossed the 8000-run mark in his 175th innings, during the course of his unbeaten 96 off 78 deliveries against Bangladesh in ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in Birmingham.
South African captain de Villiers needed 182 innings to get to 8000 runs in August 2015, beating Sourav Ganguly's previous record of 200 innings. In 2002, Ganguly had gone past Sachin Tendulkar's mark of 210 innings, entering the 8000 club in his 200th innings.
Earlier this year, South Africa opener Hashim Amla had broken Kohli's record of being the quickest to 7000 runs in ODIs, getting there in his 150th innings. Kohli had taken 166 to do so. Amla is also the fastest to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 runs. Amla, 34, is currently at 7186 runs in 153 ODI innings.
On the back of Rohit Sharma's 123 not out and Kohli's unbeaten 96, India booked their place in Sunday's Champions Trophy final against Pakistan at Kennington Oval. This was Kohli's 42nd ODI half-century.
Fastest to 9000 ODI runs
Virat Kohli becomes fastest batsman to score 9000 ODI runs, October 29, 2017: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
Kohli has become the 19th batsman to breach the 9000-run mark, making him the fastest to get there
Dhoni had reached the milestone last year while other Indians who have done so are Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly, Azharuddin
He had surpassed Ponting in the list of most ODI hundreds with his 31st ton
Virat Kohli became the sixth Indian and the fastest to complete 9000 ODI runs during the series-deciding third game against New Zealand.
Kohli got to the landmark in the 37th over when he guided one off Grandhomme towards the third man for a four. He went on to score his 32nd ODI century off 96 balls and eventually got out on 113. His 106-ball knock was studded with nine fours and a six.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni had reached the milestone last year while other Indians who have done so are Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin.
Another milestone was reaching his 49th international century surpassing Rahul Dravid (48 tons). He is second among Indian batsmen in terms of international hundreds after Sachin Tendulkar (100 tons).
Overall, Kohli, who played his 202nd match and 194th innings on Sunday, has become the 19th batsman to breach the 9000-run mark, making him the fastest to get there.
Earlier in the series, the Indian captain had surpassed Australian great Ricky Ponting in the list of most ODI hundreds with his 31st ton.
Tendulkar tops the list with 49 hundreds and he is also the leading run-getter in the format.
Kohli had a quiet series against the Australians by his standards but he is back to his best against the Black Caps.
