Why Virat Kohli is special, perhaps better than Sachin!

Virat Kohli hit his 49th century against South Africa in the grandest stage of cricket, the World Cup. Kohli equalled the record of the great Sachin Tendulkar, who had achieved this feat at 38 in 452 innings; Kohli achieved this on his 35th birthday in only 277 innings. 

For many, Kohli's 49 tons are better than Sachin's. Why? What makes Virat Kohli so special? Let's see the journey of Delhi's 'Chiku' becoming the 'King Kohli.' 

Work ethic 

When it comes to professionalism in cricket, anyone can barely match Virat Kohli. Kohli's rise to prominence was not a coincidence but a testament to his relentless work ethic. 

He was a foodie. In an interview with sports anchor Gaurav Kapur on the show Breakfast with the Champions,' he revealed his favourite foods that he used to eat from his childhood to his early playing days. From Jalebi to Chole kulche to Rajma Chawal, Kohli used to eat a bowl. Kohli used to be a non-vegetarian from the beginning, but due to the tissue issue on his neck and shoulder, he left eating meat. 

In the show, he said, "My breakfast is set. I eat an omelet, three egg whites, one whole egg, spinach with black pepper and cheese, and some grilled bacon, or smoked salmon with it. I eat papaya or dragon fruit if it is available, watermelon. I eat a decent amount of cheese for good fats. After that, I carry my butter and I get gluten-free bread from the hotels. So I apply it to that. A nice big pot of green tea with lemon. I drink 3-4 cups of that."  

Speaking to Sports18, Yuvraj spoke about fitness in the game and gave Kohli's example. Singh remarked that Virat has a four times better work ethic than any sportsperson in the last 15 years.

"I have seen Virat's work ethic. I can assure you that he has four times better ethics than any sportsperson I have seen in the last 15 years."

Time management 

When it comes to the celebrity lifestyle, Virat Kohli has nailed it. He is a run machine when it comes to chasing targets for his team; on the other hand, he endorses 17 brands, most by any Indian cricketer, leaving behind stars like Amitabh Bachchan. 

Besides doing all these, guess how many hours he spend in the gym. It is four to five hours a day. He hits the gym, does his training, and then goes to the nets and practices like a newcomer. The unstoppable Kohli on the field today is a reflection of what he does outside the field. 

Patience, perseverance, and persistence 

Kohli, too, had a bad patch for more than three years. It was 1020 days without scoring a century, quite a disappointing stat for an athlete like Kohli. 

He struggled with workload and mental fatigue. He revealed in an interview with Jatin Sapru on Star Sports that he had gone a whole month without touching a bat for the first time in a decade. This realisation made him acknowledge that he had been pretending to maintain his intensity, pushing his limits. He emphasised the importance of recognising one's limits and understanding life beyond one's profession, especially in a world where people often define you by your work.

However, he didn't give up. Took a break but didn't compromise his gym and diet. Addressing the break as remarkable, he said, "What struck me first was my genuine excitement to hit the gym in the morning. It wasn't a chore; it felt like a personal milestone." 

Family man 

During the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour of Australia, Virat Kohli led the Indian team. Still, he chose to leave after the first Test due to his wife Anushka Sharma's pregnancy and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite facing criticism from fans and cricket experts, he prioritises his family. 

In the WC match against New Zealand, Kohli fielded for 50 overs at a stretch, then batted and scored 95, where he was taking doubles even after crossing 80 runs. Like his favourite athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kohli never showed indiscipline, never compromised his diet, nor left his fitness. 

Why does he do that? For what did he change his lifestyle? We can have the answer from the post-match conference of the India vs South Africa match 2018. In Kohli's words, 

"I want to play this kind of cricket even when I am 34-35. That's why I train so and keep a check on my diet. Those things pay off on days like these. When the team needs it, you stand up, and you can pull through. Once that is gone, I don't know what I am going to do on the field."

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