Published: Jun 19, 2016, 05:35 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 19, 2016, 08:20 PM (IST)
An emotional Virat Kohli on the occasion of Father’s Day has posted a childhood picture with his father with a caption, “How I wish I could wish you a very happy Father’s day in person. The strongest person I’ve ever known. To all the fathers I just want to wish you a happy Father’s day. #pillarsofstrength.” Kohli lost his father when he was just an 18-year-old boy and that incident changed his life forever. Although he lost the most important person of his life, what followed next was a Kohli, who would become one of the best batsmen of his generation.
His father’s death made him more responsible, focussed in life and with all the dedication and hard work he has achieved so much at a very young age. When Kohli’s father suffered a massive heart-attack, the Delhi cricketer was with the state team playing a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka. For an 18-year-old boy, father’s loss could have shattered him to bits. But Kohli chose to finish the game.
In a recent interview Kohli revealed that leaving the game unfinished would have been a sin. “I called my [Delhi] coach in the morning. I said I wanted to play, because for me not completing a cricket game is a sin. That was a moment that changed me as a person. The importance this sport holds in my life is very, very high.”
Kohli took over Test captaincy when MS Dhoni announced Test retirement in December 2014. Following the win against Sri Lanka, the Indian team slammed South Africa in a four-match home series, beating the World No. 1 side by a margin of 3-0 to stamp their authority. There are greater challenges ahead, as the Indian cricket team will be playing as many as 17 Tests in less than a year against West Indies, Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh. Kohli-led Indian side tour Caribbean in July, which will be their first assignment of this season in the whites.
