'Grateful': Virat Kohli Recalls Fondest Childhood Memories Of Shane Warne, Highlights Impact On His Career

Virat Kohli Pays Rich Tribute to Shane Warne: Former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli went back in time and recalled some of his fondest childhood memories of Shane Warne, adding that he was an amazing human being whose every conversation was positive and never random.

"(He was a) childhood hero for many people including me. He was such an iconic personality and an iconic cricketer at the same time. Almost everyone, all the cricket fans knew about him," Kohli said in a video uploaded on the RCB website.

Talking about his childhood hero, Kohli said that every kid in the block would try to copy his action some time or the other which speaks volumes of the kind of impact he had on the game.

"You would try to copy his action some time or the other. That's the kind of impact that he had on this game. He was an amazing human being as well. I had the chance to speak to him quite a bit off the field. He was always positive and none of his conversations were random. It was always constructive, something that we can learn from. He spoke very passionately about Test cricket especially, cricket in general," added Kohli.

Recalling some of his off-field interactions with Warne, Kohli said that he loved the game and probably the most confident personality he had ever met.

"He loved the game. It was such a shock to everyone and we can only look back and smile at his cricketing career, his achievements, and life in general. He lived the way he wanted to live and he was probably the most confident personality that I have met. Actually, I am grateful that I got to know him a little more off the field."

Warne passed away following a suspected heart-attack in Thailand where he was vacationing last month, had guided Rajasthan Royals to their maiden IPL title in 2008.

WATCH VIRAT KOHLI PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT SHANE WARNE