Sarfaraz Khan recalled the moment when he had his first interaction with Kohli at RCB and how the Indian star made his day by bowing in front of him.
Virat Kohli has arguably been the best all-format batter in the past decade and become a role model for young players all across the globe. The batting maestro has set high standards of batting and fitness in international cricket, and the players around him are inspired by his passion and spirit for the game. Meanwhile, a tournament like IPL gave the budding cricketers a platform to share a dressing room with stars like Kohli and assess their playing style and approach from close quarters.
Virat Kohli bowed to Sarfaraz Khan during an IPL match.
Sarfaraz Khan also got the same opportunity at a very young age when he joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2015. The 26-year-old shared his experience of playing alongside the batting maestro and how he used to take charge in the team meetings to spread positivity in the camp.
“His (Virat Kohli’s) passion and spirit are unmatched. Whenever I saw him, even in the pre-match meetings, he’d take charge and tell everyone how many runs he’d score off a particular bowler and break that down for everyone. To be gutsy enough to stand up and talk with such positivity in front of everyone and then deliver the next day is a very unique ability,” Sarfaraz told Jio Cinema.
Meanwhile, he also recalled the moment when he had his first interaction with Kohli at RCB and how the Indian star made his day by bowing down in front of him.
“I met him at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time. I had scored 45 runs in 21 balls here and he bowed at me. I had a lot of fun that day. It was a dream to share an Indian team dressing room with him it will come true in the future if I get the opportunity,” he added.
‘Virat Kohli knows the work a player needs to keep doing’
Sarfaraz, who made his India debut earlier this year, pointed out the things he learnt from Kohli, especially the discipline towards fitness and game.
“He is clear about his game. He knows the work a player needs to keep doing and that criticism or praise shouldn’t affect your game. ‘This is my work, I have to do this in the morning, this in the afternoon, this in the evening, and sleep at a specific time.’ That’s what I have learned from him,” he concluded.
