When it comes to dealing with the utmost highs or extreme lows, there will be few better names than Indian cricket – or even globally – than Virat Kohli. Also few would know it better than Kohli how it feels to be a world-beater at a level where it matters the most. The most successful India captain had a session with the Indian Under-19 team members, who will be taking on England in the final of the colts World Cup in Antigua on Saturday.
As skipper Yash Dhull along with Rajvardhan Hagargekars and Kaushal Tambes connected on a Zoom call from their respective hotel rooms in Antigua, they had one of their role models waiting to “congratulate them” and also speak to them about what it means to play a U-19 World Cup final. This will be the fourth successive under-19 final for India since 2016.
Kohli dominating the men’s world with the willow and then as a skipper has also been a world champion captain, having guided the Indian colts to a win over South Africa on a balmy evening in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.
Fourteen summers later, as India eye another crow – a record fifth – he spared time for the ‘Baby Blues’ to tell what it takes to make the grade.
U-19 is just a first stop and even if they win, there are certainly no guarantees that the life will be bed of roses from here on. “It was really good to interact with you Virat Kohli bhaiyya. Learnt some important things about life and cricket from you which will help us in getting better in upcoming times,” wrote team’s premier pace-bowling all-rounder Rajvardhan Hangargekar on his instagram stories, national news agency PTI has reported.
AlsoRead:- Ronaldo’s unique £50,000 birthday present to girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez
“Some valuable tips from the GOAT before the final,” wrote spinner Kaushal Tambe.
Under-19 head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar was also present listening intently to what one of world’s greatest batters had to say. One cam be rest assured it was more about the road ahead where a lot of them will fall by the wayside, some will remain confined to domestic level and only a select few with enormous talent and temperament will make the grade. Kohli knows what are the perils of early stardom and how one can get his feet back to the ground. He has seen zenith and nadir and one can only hope this discussion will make these youngsters more rounded as sportsmen than they were before.
Kohli is in Ahmedabad with Team India, preparing for the three-match One Day International Series against the West Indies. The first game is slated for Sunday, February 6.
ReadMore:- India-West Indies Series: COVID strikes home team; three players, four support staff test positive
