Kolkata: Indian skipper Virat Kohli who became the first Indian to receive the honorary Polly Umrigar Award twice has always aimed at becoming the best at what he does. At a very early stage of his career he realised that he had to perform consistently well to be at the top spot. After winning the prestigious award for BCCI’s international Cricketer of the Year, Kohli said that he always wanted to be one of the top players in the world.
“I always wanted to be one of the top players in the world for sure. So I understood what it would take for me to maintain my form in all three formats. It is very important in transition phase to be available in all three formats and take the country forward,” he said. Form is temporary, but class is permanent. Kohli may not be in his best of forms currently, but that in no way affects his temperament and mindset on the field. When India was on the verge of defeat in the second Test against Australia, Kohli with his aggressive nature and attacking tactics snatched away victory from the Aussies.
The passion of the 28-year-old towards his game is evident on the field. Just like his cover drives, which tears apart the opposition fielders, Kohli’s attitude and aggression swallowed the Australians in the second Test in Bengaluru. The way he greeted Australian skipper Steve Smith after his dismissal stands as an example. This behaviour and temperament of his earned him credits as well as some haters. On this he said, “All along in my career, there were many people who had doubted the way I have gone about my game. Even now there are doubters and haters all around, but one thing is for sure that I have always believed in myself.”
No captain can succeed without his soldiers and Kohli knows it well. Hence he took the podium to thank his team for constantly performing well and helping him succeed as a skipper. “At times you don’t do well but when the champion players in your side step up and everyone delivers what when you start producing results,” Kohli said.
(With inputs from the Times of India)
