VIRAT KOHLI - THE PERPLEXING STAR

While I was still learning how to stand properly at the crease, Kohli started to earn standing ovations around the globe; while I'm still learning how to use my feet to get to the pitch of the ball, Kohli taking giant strides.  The more I watched him play, the more I admired him, for it was only through playing that only truly understood the scale of doing. 

Image Courtesy: cricbuzz.com

The name Virat Kohli inside the commentary box and the crowd chant "Kohli, Kohli.." echoes once he steps on to the field. Unlike his seniors, Virat Kohli has single-mindedly worked on his temperament to augment his cricketing skills. He seems to be the main man for Indian cricket at the moment. Comparing his other peers, Rohit Sharma, for a long while, is inconsistent. Suresh Raina did not seem to possess similar technique. Pujara does not look like he would bestride all formats with ease. And unlike others who have led the team, Kohli seems to be a natural leader.

A boy who lost his father while playing a Ranji match. The next morning much to shock of his team-mates, the youngster was on the field. Virat made himself a name when he lifted the Under-19 World Cup as a captain at Kuala Lampur in 2008. Spotlight was quick to turn to Virat as Royal Challengers Bangalore saw the extraordinary talent within the Delhi man and bought him during the Indian Premier League auction. Since then, he was ever been part of that francise.

Indian selection board picked him without any hestitation for the tour of Sri Lanka.  Virat did not take too much time to settle in as he scored is first ODI century against Sri Lanka at Kolkata in 2009. He is scoring lump of runs for India. He was part of the Indian side which lifted the 2011 World Cup under the leadership of the giant MS Dhoni. Kohli has 30 ODI centuries which is second-best with Ricky Ponting, and, of course, Sachin leads the pack with 49. Ian Chappell crowned him the new prince of Indian cricket, " He(Kohli) is now said to take not only Sachin's coveted No.4 spot but also his mantle as 'the new Indian player opponents must want out.'

Kohli's other trait is his complete focus on the team rather than on himself. In a match Kohli was run-out for no-score against Australia due to Rohit Sharma's reluctance to take a single. But there were no sulks. When Sharma scored 209, Kohli was the one who was cheering most vociferously. As in this instance, he has shown time and against that he plays for the team, rather than himself.

He has become Indian team's backbone like Sachin Tendulkar used to be. Opposition now think Kohli is the most precious wicket in Indian batting lineup as Chappell said.

Calling it the brashness of youth enthusiasm to prove himself, Kohli found himself in wrong reasons sometimes. In 2011/12, Kohli reacted angrily from an abuse from the crowd by showing middle finger. Learning from his mistakes, Kohli admitted in an interview he has learnt to control his aggression. "As I'm getting more mature, i'm also improving on that front.", he said.

Criticism is inevitable, and so it was for him. If you’ve spent your life in the middle, with every move scanned by the peering eyes of a billion people, you are bound to be judged. But he endured all censure without resentment. It was as if greatness went hand in hand with humility. That may have been the greatest lesson of all.