Virat Kohli recently interacted with a young fan, Kabir, at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy. The heartwarming exchange, shared widely on social media, has caught the attention of fans and former cricketers alike.
During the interaction, Kabir, the son of Kohli’s former teammate Shavez Khan, asked Kohli, “Indian cricketer banne ke liye kya karna padega?” (What does one need to do to become an Indian cricketer?). Kohli’s response was both insightful and motivational, emphasizing the importance of hard work, self-motivation, and discipline. He told Kabir that aspiring cricketers should not wait for external encouragement, but instead should drive themselves to practice every day. Kohli further stressed the need for consistent improvement, advising, “If someone practices for an hour, you do it for two hours,” and encouraged setting higher benchmarks by surpassing others’ achievements.
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The video of their conversation quickly went viral, with many praising Kohli for instilling a message of dedication and passion in the younger generation. Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy marks his first domestic match since 2012, and his participation has been hailed as a positive step in boosting the standard of domestic cricket. This move is part of a new initiative by the BCCI to encourage top players like Kohli to contribute to the domestic circuit, offering valuable exposure to young talents.
Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh also lauded Kohli’s presence, noting the motivational impact on the team’s young players. Despite his return, Kohli chose not to take the captaincy, allowing the young Ayush Badoni to continue in the leadership role for the upcoming match against Railways.
