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Former India Coach Compares Kohli’s WC 2023 Build-Up With Tendulkar’s Final Run

image-llhun3gcChappell has compared career paths of Kohli and Tendulkar [Twitter]

Virat Kohli is one of those Indian cricketers who gives his all for the team, regardless of the stage. The upcoming ODI World Cup at home might well be final shot to secure the coveted trophy for the second time in his glittering career.

Back in 2011, the then-youngster was part of MS Dhoni’s elite group, that won the World title in front of ageing warrior Sachin Tendulkar’s home crowd. However, Kohli has often admitted that he could barely make sense of 2011 win as the entire team was focused on giving Tendulkar a befitting retirement gift.

Comparing Kohli’s upcoming World Cup dream with that of Tendulkar’s last hurrah back in 2011, former Australian cricketer Greg Chappell recently narrated a rare conversation he had with the latter during his coaching stint with the Indian team.


Chappell has this advice for Virat Kohli before 2023 World Cup

Greg Chappell coached the Indian team between 2005 and 2007. While appearing on a YouTube show Backstage with Boria, Chappell narrated a never-before-heard conversation he had with batting great Sachin Tendulkar during the early stages of his coaching stint.

The Australian stated that Tendulkar once asked him why batting gets difficult as the career goes on. Narrating the entire discussion on the show, he said:

“Soon after I started coaching for India, I was in my room in the hotel when the phone rang and it was Sachin Tendulkar. He asked whether he can come and talk to me. He then came down and the question he asked was, 'Why does batting get more difficult? It should surely get easier'. I said, ‘Not really,’”

“When you are younger and you are playing the game, you see the ball and hit the ball. You only think about scoring runs then and not anything else. As one gets older, the oppositions tends to know more about the player and then they know how to bowl better and what fields to set.”

The former coach also believes that Virat Kohli is currently in a similar stage as Tendulkar was during the closing phase of his career. Ahead of the 2023 World Cup in India, the Australian legend left a similar advice for Kohli, and asserted the importance of simplicity and being mentally fresh.

“I have no doubt that Virat is in that stage of his career and hence it requires a special effort to score runs. And for that you need to decompress yourself and just keep it simple. Virat also needs to go into these games mentally fresh and he knows what he needs to do for that. If Virat can achieve that, he will have a very good tournament.”

In the meantime, Virat Kohli is gearing up for the upcoming ODI Asia Cup 2023, set to be played in Sri Lanka a full month ahead of the World Cup. India’s campaign will launch on September 2 with a match against arch-rivals Pakistan in Kandy.