Published: Sep 14, 2016, 11:10 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 14, 2016, 11:10 AM (IST)
Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli is enjoying a much deserved break ahead of a gruelling Test-heavy schedule for next six months which will see Team India play 13 Tests at home apart from a few limited-overs fixtures as well. On Tuesday, he gave a sneak-peek into his leisure time at home in Delhi, where he is spending quality time with his family and beloved ones.
Kohli had posted a picture with his nephew Aarav and pet dog Bruno, calling them the two loves of his life. Later in the evening, Kohli, an active social media user, shared another post from his official Instagram handle which within minutes of sharing went viral. It was an old picture of him with the South African batting sensation AB de Villiers, where the two are seen indulged in a friendly conversation.
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The image seems to captured some time during a season of Indian Premier League (IPL), a time of the year when the two are together for around six months. Both represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the cash-rich league and Kohli also leads the side.
Kohli also wrote an emotional caption along with the image that read, “Throwback to a very very special picture. Very few people in my life have connected with me like my dear friend AB and i share the most wonderful bond with this great man. So much to learn from him all the time. If you ever want a role model for any walk of life, he is IT.”
De Villiers joined the RCB side in 2011 after spending the initial three seasons with Delhi Daredevils (DD). Since then, he has been an integral part of the side led by Kohli. The two have been the batting pillars of the southern franchise and even guided the side to this year’s final, but faced a heartbreaking loss in the final. Over the course of this period, the two batting icons have come together and bonded big time, sharing many match-winning innings on the field and having a ball off the field too.
Mutual admiration club
“Unbelievable, can’t believe I’m the winning captain. That should end a lot of debates as to who is the best going around. No question about it,” Kohli had said after RCB beat Gujarat Lions (GL) out of nowhere and qualified for the final in the ninth season of IPL, purely due to the class of de Villiers. On numerous other occasions too the Indian Test skipper has praised his South African counterpart saying he is the best in the world.
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AB has always reciprocated the favour saying ‘Kohli is the best in the world’ and ‘World Class’ player. The two have mostly dominated the ICC batsmen’s rankings and have often been labelled as the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of world cricket. The bond they share is truly inspirational.
After this short break, Kohli will lead India against the visiting New Zealand side in the series that begins with the first Test from September 16. AB, on the other hand, has recently recovered from an injury and has been included in the Proteas squad for the ODI series at home against Australia starting later this month.
