Virat Kohli‘s achievements and records have made him not just a cricket legend but also a global brand. But like in every sports person’s life, there were days when he was an ‘unknown’ figure in the sport, still trying to establish himself as the ‘next big thing’.
The 2008 U-19 World Cup turned into a launchpad as he captained the side to beating South Africa in the final and lift the trophy.
Just over five months from that day, in August 2008, Kohli made his senior India debut in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla and hasn’t looked back ever since.
But the nostalgia of watching images and videos of global superstars from the past is always welcomed by fans.
One such video found its way to the social media, where Kohli’s mates from his early days as a cricketer are teasing and congratulating him for a media interview.
Five-six of his friends, including Shikhar Dhawan, are seen in splits as one of them takes the lead to tease an almost embarrassed Kohli. “Mera bhai bada aadmi ban gaya (my friend has become a celebrity),” he said.
Another voice heard in the video commented: “Interview le ke Prime minister bana diya.”
Kohli, who is currently part of the Test series against Bangladesh, will make his 115th Test appearance in the match at Kanpur beginning on Friday. He has so far scored 8871 runs in red-ball cricket at an average of 48.74, including 29 hundreds and 30 fifties.
In ODIs, he has scored 13,906 runs in 295 matches at an average of 58.18, including a world record 50 centuries and 72 fifties.
Kohli retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup in June this year. He played 125 T20Is and scored 4188 runs at an average of 48.69, including one hundred and 38 fifties.