File photo of Virat Kohli© AFP
Star Indian cricket team batter Virat Kohli recently completed 16 years in international cricket and his illustrious career is filled with sensational records and accolades. Over the years, he has been a stalwart for the national side and his numbers have cemented his place as one of the best batters in the history of the modern game. Former Pakistan cricket team star Basit Ali paid a massive tribute to Kohli and said that although it is easy to just say that Kohli has had a 16-year-old international career, youngsters should notice how he trains and how he deals with the ups and downs of such a long playing career.
"The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Younis Khan, and Javed Miandad had very long careers, and they spent top-quality time with their hard work. It is very easy to say that Virat Kohli has played for 16 years now," Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel.
"But do today's kids know the ups and downs he has seen? Do they know how early he wakes up to train in the gym on a match day? Similarly, Sachin Tendulkar was so much in love with cricket that he slept with a bat by his side," Basit Ali added.
Basit pointed out that the genius of a player like Kohli is more than just his batting. During the YouTube discussion, he said that Kohli's intensity is also way more than that of his teammates.
"Just look at his dedication and the hard work he puts in. Even if he gets out early, he gives it all in the field. You can feel that Kohli is on the ground just by the noise the crowd makes when the ball goes to him. This is the result of the hard work he has put in for 16 years," he concluded.