League: Cricket
Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa defended former skipper Virat Kohli for his overall cricket journey and the evolution he has undergone since the beginning of his career in 2008. The support came after Amit Mishra made certain allegations regarding Kohli’s behaviour.
However, amidst all allegations, Uthappa has shown his sincere and kind support towards Kohli, praising him for his evolution from a local Delhi boy to a legend of the game.
Kohli made his debut for team India in 2008 against Sri Lanka and tuned himself from an aggressive youngster to a mature batting maestro of the game.
“I have actually seen Virat kind of evolve from brash young boy to an evolved human being. You know the evolution has been quite tremendous, to be honest. Today he’s reaping what he has sown 15 years ago,” Uthappa was quoted as saying by India Today.
The 2007 T20 World Cup winner also lauded Kohli for his confidence and mentioned how he turned beliefs into astonishing career figures.
“One of the things that has always stood out to me about Cheeku has been his conviction in himself. When I listen to young 19-year-old Kohli, you know, talking about himself or his conviction in himself, you will get discomfit, you’ll be like, “What is this dude talking about?” But now come to the present after ten years, and you be like, “Okay, now that makes sense”, Uthappa concluded.
Kohli, the Player of the Match in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, announced his retirement from the shortest format right after India’s historic win over South Africa in the title clash in Barbados on June 29.
At the end of his glorious career in T20Is, Virat finished with a tally of 4188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69, including 38 fifties and one hundred.