rom showcasing a brash personality to playing 100 Test matches, former India skipper Virat Kohli managed to turn his life around successfully. If there is one thing he has kept intact, it’s his aggressiveness. However, over the last decade, he has learnt to channel it the right way and while talking about his fierce nature, nation’s legend Chandu Borde revealed a never-heard-before anecdote from his U19 days.
“When he was 17 or 18, North Zone had a coaching camp in Mohali. Kohli was one of the players, and I was sent by the BCCI to coach him and the rest of the guys. I saw him have a very aggressive approach in the nets also. When you tell him something, he would try to make use of the suggestions in the nets and try to correct himself.
“He puts across his points, has his opinion and does not back out. He accepts points and suggestions only when he is convinced. He doesn’t like to stand and watch others. He likes to do something all the time. He’s been an exciting cricketer right from childhood. He wants to keep on moving. He does not stick to one place. He wants to be in the game all the time when he is on the field,” elaborated Borde.
Former Chairman of selectors Border also maintained that Kohli was always respectful from the start, stating:
“He respects senior players. I met him two years back during the day-night match in Kolkata. The moment he saw me, he came and greeted me. There are some cricketers who still have respect for old cricketers, and Virat Kohli is one of them.”
Kohli will be in action next against Sri Lanka in the second and final Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
