Virat Kohli’s Disdain for Practice Matches: Former Coach Reveals Untold Truth
Cricket is not the only field where Virat Kohli, one of its most idolized players has always been an absolute champion when it comes to never standing on the sidelines. Yet surprisingly enough, the former Indian team bowling coach Bharat Arun had this to say about Kohli that he has never enjoyed practice matches. The cricket maestro always preferred hitting the nets, benchmarking him against his own boundaries in a more focussed and acute setting.
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Kohli’s Reluctance Toward Practice Games
Bharat Arun with direct links to captaincy days of Kohli described the special groove he used to play practice games during his captaincy. As per Arun, Kohli found practice matches were not as heavy as a real game and that the competitive edge struggling from these practice did not exist. “Kohli has had the view for a long time that practice matches were not as engaging as say a genuine game,” Arun told me.
He was more in the nets/drifted hours watching and trying to match himself to world fast pacemen, than actually playing hours of practice games that most cricketers crave for.
Some players even await the practice games to build match fitness, but Kohli opted right away for net training instead. He was superb at creating the illusion of a match situation in nets and became a man hunter in competitive match.
Kohli’s Legacy in Test Cricket
Kohli’s reverence for Test cricket, Arun said, the cricketing world will miss Kohli around. “Test will feel his absence on a deep level,” he said. No one would have ever thought that Kohli would captain India so passionately and lead them into an era in Indian cricket. “It was a privilege to work with Kohli. Arun said that his dedication and enthusiasm for the game was without a parallel.
The former coach also noted there would be a hole left in Kohli’s absence on the Test ground. Even though he has retired, his legacy is still impacting players from all levels playing the game.
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The Future of Virat Kohli and His Impact
Kohli may have retired from Test, but the perception is that there is still a little bit more on this rubicle for him. Wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani rued in the past that Kohli need not close the account yet for longest format. “Virat has a lot of cricket in him,” Kirmani added. Consistency and leadership qualities will always render him a mentor for the youngsters
Although Kohli’s decision to retire was a personal one, I am sure his legacy as a player and captain will continue to influence the future cricket players for many years to come. It goes beyond his statistics, it speaks to the commitment and heart he gave the game in each and every knock.