'No, I Will Play with Elders Only', Coach Rajkumar Sharma Reveals Virat Kohli's Early Cricketing Journey
Rajkumar Sharma and Virat Kohli | Source: Twitter
Virat Kohli is widely recognized as one of the greatest batter in world cricket currently. However, behind the scenes, there is a story of his dedication and perseverance that very few people know about.
His childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, has recently opened up about the details and challenges the Delhi batter faced in his early years, painting a picture of a young boy who was eager to succeed against all odds.
Recalling a moment from the past, Rajkumar Sharma revealed that Virat Kohli, during his initial coaching days in Delhi, opted to play and practise with senior players instead of his peers, even though he would occasionally get hit while playing against them
In a recent video shared by the official RCB handle, here's what Rajkumar Sharma said while providing a glimpse into Virat Kohli's journey to greatness:
“When he came, I put him in the junior group - below 10-11. He never used to get out against them. So he came to me and told me, ‘sir I want to play with the elders’. I said, ‘you are too young’. But he used to say, ‘no sir, they can’t get me out’.
Sharma also revealed that once Virat Kohli sustained a bruise while playing with senior players, but chose not to mention it to anyone. It was only when his mother noticed it that she requested the coach to allow him to play with players his own age. However, Kohli refused and insisted on playing with the seniors.
“One day I got a little bit annoyed and said, ‘okay, go and pad up’. So, he went and padded up and he played well. But he missed one ball and it hit him here [pointing towards chest]. He tried not to show it [bruise] to anybody, but when he went to his house, his mother saw it."
"Next day, she came and said, let him play in his own age group. He refused and said to his mother, ‘no, I will play with seniors only’. He is a god-gifted talent.”
Rajkumar Sharma's first impression of Virat Kohli was a lasting one. From the moment he saw him for the first time, he recognized the spark of a special talent, and he knew that Kohli possessed the drive and work ethic to succeed.
The 57-year-old conceded:
"It was 30th May 1998. He came with his brother and father. Within a couple of days, we could see that he was a different child from others - very active, very hyper, very naughty, always willing to do everything on his own."
"He was a very determined and dedicated boy, who was willing to work really hard and wanted to dominate from day one. He had that tremendous self-belief that ‘I can do anything’.
Rajkumar Sharma recalls the emotional moment with Kohli
Sharma was overjoyed when Virat Kohli was named the captain of all three formats for India. Reflecting on the moment, the coach recalls how his ‘dear child’ personally called him to share the news and how proud he felt at that moment:
Virat Kohli first burst onto the scene when he led India's under-19 cricket team to victory in the 2008 World Cup. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, achieving one milestone after another and cementing his place as one of the greatest cricketing legends of all time.
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