At 35 years old, Virat Kohli has firmly established himself as a cricketing legend. For years, cricket fans wondered who would succeed Sachin Tendulkar as the face of Indian cricket, and Kohli not only filled those shoes but, according to many, surpassed them. The debate over whether Kohli or Tendulkar is the greater cricketer may never be settled, but one thing is clear: Kohli is an icon.
With Kohli just 1152 runs away from reaching 10,000 Test runs, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh shared some lesser-known stories about Kohli’s journey to greatness. These stories date back to 2008 when a young Kohli was just starting his international career.
A Moment of Determination in 2008
Harbhajan Singh recalled a specific instance from 2008 when Kohli, despite scoring a half-century in just his fifth ODI, was dissatisfied. The match took place at R Premadasa Stadium against Sri Lanka. Kohli, opening the innings, had scored 12, 37, and 25 in previous games. Harbhajan remembered Kohli’s frustration after getting out in that match.
“I remember this one incident. Viru [Virender Sehwag] had gotten injured, I suppose. [Ajantha] Mendis was getting everyone out. He [Kohli] comes in; young guy, full of energy. He batted and scored a fifty. He asked me ‘Paaji, how did I play?’ I said, ‘Very well’. He then said, ‘Paaji, I shouldn’t have gotten out, should have smacked him more’. Loved the attitude,” Harbhajan shared during a podcast with Taruwar Kohli.
At that time, Ajantha Mendis was a nightmare for Indian batters. He had taken 23 wickets in three Tests against India earlier that year and continued his dominance in the ODI series. Kohli’s ability to stand up against Mendis despite being a newcomer showed his determination and hunger for success.
Self-Doubt During Test Debut in 2011
Harbhajan also recounted another significant moment from Kohli’s early career, fast-forwarding to 2011 when Kohli made his Test debut against West Indies. Kohli struggled in that series, managing just 76 runs from five innings, with scores of 4, 15, 0, 27, and 30. Harbhajan revealed that these failures shook Kohli’s confidence.
“If I tell you something about his Test cricket, at the very beginning. We were in West Indies. On that tour, Fidel Edwards (former West Indies quick) had troubled him a lot, getting him out either LBW or against the short ball. He was getting out time and again, so obviously was very disappointed. He had self-doubt, questioned ‘If I am good enough?’ I told him ‘You will shame yourself if you don’t score 10000 runs. You have the capability of scoring 10000 runs in Test cricket. And if you don’t, it’ll be because of your own fault’. After that, what Kohli has done is a once-in-a-lifetime exception,” Harbhajan said.
The Making of a Legend
From that young cricketer in Barbados, Kohli has come a long way. Over the past 13 years, he has achieved unprecedented heights, breaking countless records and becoming the face of Indian cricket. Harbhajan believes it is Kohli’s desire and hunger to be more than just an ordinary player that sets him apart.
“I have seen him change. His diet, his mindset – ‘That I don’t want to be just an ordinary player. I want to be someone who people will know for a long time. The stubbornness I saw in myself, Kohli has a lot more of it. I want to be that guy winning games and scoring hundreds for India. He was scoring hundreds back-to-back in Australia. It was the first time India chasing 400 runs… and they are going after it. We may lose but we’ll fight. That attitude of keep going, that’s what makes you a player. Kohli has left an everlasting impact on Indian cricket,” Harbhajan added.
Kohli currently sits at 8848 runs in Test cricket from 113 matches. With a long season ahead, he is expected to reach the milestone of 10,000 Test runs sooner rather than later. Harbhajan’s recollections highlight the journey of a cricketer who has grown from a self-doubting youngster to one of the greatest of all time.
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